Weaves of the Dragon
by Arthur Hansen
Summary: Just an old, unfinished Ranma/WoT story that I never posted. As people have wanted it, I'm posting what I have. Available for adoption.
1. Chapter 1

**Weaves of the Dragons **

Ranma and Akane jogged into the school grounds, letting their hands drop from each other finally. Ranma paused for just a moment, scratching the back of his head. He couldn't say why he had let into the impulse to run like that with Akane today. It couldn't have had anything to do with... yesterday. Nah.

Akane glanced around. For once, they were clearly early and wouldn't have to stand in the hall. The small smile she had fell, when she saw Tatewaki Kuno walking towards them. Shadows fluttered behind them, unnoticed by all who were present.

"Ah, fairest maiden. Truly thou must be happy this day. Such a near thing, that disaster I did rescue you from upon yester eve. Please, doth not hold thyself away from me. I wouldst eagerly embrace thee for thine accolades and rewards," Kuno said, carrying his sheathed katana lightly, as he walked forward in open arms. His eyes burned fervently, his tussled hair and pale skin gave him the look of feverish anticipation.

"Drop dead, Kuno. How dare you destroy my wedding!" Akane yelled as she dropkicked Kuno over the school.

"Why'd you do that, Akane? It's just Kuno being, well, Kuno," Ranma said as he blinked in surprise.

Akane bit off a retort. An angry red glow surrounded her for a second. Taking a deep breath, she reached down and picked up the katana that Kuno had dropped. "And it's normal for Kuno to bring live steel with him to school?"

"Ah, he's still not dangerous. Like Kuno could ever hurt me."

Akane just stared at him for a second and then turned around and started to walk into school. Ranma watched her for a second, wondering what was wrong. She usually had slugged him by now. This wasn't normal. This silent treatment was, well, scary!

* * *

School passed quickly, if you discounted the glaring match that Ukyo and Akane had during class. If Ranma had noticed, he would have offered to teach them the Hyro Shotan Ha. But alas, Ranma didn't, couldn't or _wouldn't_. It was Saturday, so there was no lunch period, as it was a half day of school of course. After the noon bell tolled, Ukyo cornered Ranma as they were all leaving the schoolyard.

"Ranma honey! Wait up. Would you like to come over to Uchan's for a free meal to say I'm sorry about yesterday?" Ukyo said. She simpered and smiled. She just had to rescue Ranma from Akane. She treats him so badly. And her cooking was so terribly abusive. And Ranma was hers. She had known him for the longest.

Other than that, Akane wasn't too bad.

"Uh, sure Uky-oof!" Ranma started to reply, when he was suddenly struck in the stomach hard by Akane's elbow.

Akane glared at Ukyo. If glares could kill, Ukyo would be six feet under already. Smiling a saccharine grin, Akane asked, "Why Ukyo, how kind of you. And how much gunpowder are you going to add this time?" She adjusted her grip on Kuno's sword. She squelched the insane desire to attack Ukyo with the sword.

"What? Why you..." Ukyo stuttered.

"That's all right, Ranma. Why don't you go out with your dear friend Ukyo. She such a kind and nice soul," Akane finished, her words dripping with sarcasm. Akane ran off blindly, fighting off the tears that threatened to cause her to fall as she ran.

"Akane?" Ranma said softly, rubbing his stomach lightly. Seeing that she was headed home, he bounded over the wall to intercept her. In a flash he was out of sight. He didn't hear Ukyo cry out behind him.

"Ranma? Ranma!" Ukyo sat there for a second, stunned. A wave of anger swept her. Why was she being ignored? She unslung her metal bakers peel and crouched down to prepare to leap after him.

"Ukyo no chase Ranma now. It only hurt Ukyo more," said a voice from behind one of the trees.

Ukyo started and whirled, her weapon at the ready. "Shampoo!"

"Or Ukyo no see that Ranma always rescue Akane? Even from death and unstoppable foe?"

"What are you talking about, Shampoo?" Ukyo gritted her teeth. She had never liked the lavender haired Amazon. Ukyo watched warily as Shampoo stepped out of the shadows.

"You know Ranma rescue Akane again? Ranma fight Saffron, god-king of the phoenix people. Saffron kill Akane, but Ranma defeat him and save Akane. Akane dead. Not near dead. Dead. But Ranma not let her go. Nothing stop Ranma. Ranma best warrior and husband." Shampoo's eyes sparkled in the sun. Her voice nearly broke, "Ranma do impossible for Akane. Always for Akane. How often Ranma do that for Ukyo or Shampoo?"

"What, the 'Chinese Amazon' is just giving up?" Ukyo sneered.

"Ranma not admit what he feel for Akane. But Akane change. She no longer happy with what she have. She want Ranma for husband now. I watch her today. She change. And only way Shampoo see to stop her is to kill Akane. And then Ranma kill all Amazons. And nothing can stop Ranma."

"Jeez, Shampoo. He's still human," Ukyo shook her head. She was nuts.

"Amazons no have to worry about Phoenix bird-people no more. Ranma destroy mountain to kill Saffron. All because Saffron hurt Akane."

"You're kidding." Ukyo hadn't heard all of that. And she'd paid good money to Nabiki to learn everything she could about the latest adventure.

"Shampoo wish. Goodbye, Ukyo. I may see you while I forever wander," Shampoo finished and turned to walk away.

Ukyo stared at Shampoo as she walked away. Shampoo never quit, as far as Ukyo could ever remember. Well, she would show up that Amazon hussy. She was better than any Amazon.

* * *

"Akane, wait up! Jeez, you stupid tomboy." Ranma huffed as he finally caught up to Akane. "You are such a klutz."

"Why do you care? Go and... go to Ukyo and eat her stupid food." Akane kept her head down, hiding her tears as she walked along. She stumbled a little as she walked along.

"Akane, what's wrong?" If there was anything that Ranma hated, it was to see a girl cry. Especially Akane. And she wasn't getting angry like she was supposed to. When Akane got upset, he teased her until she hit him. Then she felt better. That was how things were supposed to work.

"I told you that you would be sorry that we didn't get married. She breaks up our wedding and you're just going to run back to her and eat her food like nothings happened? How could you?" Akane sniffled.

Ranma wasn't the brightest of fellows, but even he could get a hint every once in a while. "I thought you didn't want to get married?!"

"And maybe I did. It still wasn't right for them to destroy our wedding." Akane looked at Ranma through bleary eyes. "Why couldn't you say you loved me?" she blurted out suddenly.

Ranma's anxiety quotient skyrocketed. "W-w-what?" He took half a step back, one hand raised to ward off pain.

"Why couldn't you, Ranma? Is it because you don't... " love me? Akane finished to herself. She ducked her head to the side, not wanting to see his face.

Ranma was nearing meltdown. Everything was supposed to go back to the way it was before. "Uh, er, ah, um." Ranma racked his brains to think of something to say. "I, uh, don't know what love is." That would be safe. No declarations of love and he wasn't saying he didn't love her. Perfect!

Akane focused herself for one second and then released her breath abruptly. She looked up into Ranma's eyes. "I love you, Ranma." No more running away.

The stress was too much for Ranma. Nature's circuit breakers kicked in suddenly, as Ranma fainted.

* * *

Ranma awoke suddenly, feelings of panic clearly evident on his face. He glanced around, noting that he was under a tree in a park near the Tendo dojo. Akane was kneeling next to him, waiting. "W-what happened?" he asked weakly.

"You fainted."

"Guys don't faint!" Ranma said defensively.

"All right, you passed out," Akane said with a giggle.

"Right I passed out. I did not faint." He paused a second. Ranma had the feeling that Akane was playing a joke on him.

"So?" Akane said as she looked at him oddly.

"So, um, what?"

Akane continued to wait. Strangely, she didn't feel the anger that usually reared its head. She was calmer than she had been in a very, very long time. Is it because she wasn't hiding and lying about her feelings?

Ranma was considering his options as best he understood them. Akane said that she l-loved him. But she wasn't all over him. Girls that said they loved him usually creeped him out by getting too close. They kept pushing everything too fast. She was just, well, comfortable. She didn't push him like the other girls did.

Akane treated him like a real person, not a . . . . possession. Really. And Ranma liked that. A lot, actually.

"I, uh, kinda like you a lot too, I guess," Ranma said quietly, nervously. He absently started to scratch the back of his head again. He was getting a lot of practice at that recently.

"Oh, Ranma. Was it really that hard?" Akane murmured to herself. She let a small smile form on her face. Ranma stared uncertainly. Akane reflected for just a moment on how hard this had to be on Ranma. He was never very good at the 'girly mushy stuff' as he put it. Their lips drifted closer.

Boy, she sure could be cute, Ranma thought as Akane's eyes slowly closed.

The silence was broken suddenly. "RANMA SAOTOME! I hereby challenge you. Meet me at the Hokatai park in one hour or be known as a coward forever more!" a huge booming voice shouted suddenly. A thoroughly cloaked up figure stood a slight distance away for a moment, before leaping into the air. Midway in his leap, he just... disappeared.

Ranma glanced at Akane, who was looking back at him. "Who was that?" they asked each other after they had leaped to their feet, ready to fight at each others back.

Ranma smirked. "At least he's not here to kidnap your uncute body this time."

Akane smiled back. "Who's uncute? Besides you're the pervert!" She gave him a raspberry and took off running.

Ranma smiled and gave chase. This he could deal with. This was normal.

* * *

Happosai entered the Tendo dojo through his window. He staggered under the amazingly large load of panties. Normally, he'd be hopping around, gleefully. It was quite a haul. Even for one so old as him, he was in amazing shape for someone a quarter his age. But something wasn't right. He sighed and put the load down. He bounced down the hall and looked for a bite to eat.

"Why hello, Master. How are you doing?" Kasumi asked cheerfully.

"Hello, Kasumi." Happosai beamed. If there was one thing that he liked about the Tendo's, it was Kasumi's cooking. It was one of the reasons that he never gave her the attention that was his trademark.

Genma looked up from his game of shogi with Soun. "Master." He glanced back down at the game, trying to see a pattern, some way to win this game. It didn't look good.

Soun smiled widely. He had him now. At long last he would prove that he was the better player. As long as he kept Genma from cheating, of course.

Genma sweated and adjusted his handkerchief on his bald head. He heard yelling in the distance. He squinted his eyes for just a second. "Ranma, what have you done to your fiancée?" he bellowed suddenly.

Soun took the bait and turned and looked out into the front yard, just in time to see Ranma and Akane dash happily into the compound. He heard a single click behind him and turned around just in time to see Genma finish placing a single piece.

"Whatcha talking about pop?" Ranma asked as he ran through the living room and up the stairs. He was down in a flash, in a different outfit. This one was dark blue and sleeveless. Ranma thought that it made him a bit more dangerous looking.

"How can you treat Akane this way? What sort of man are you?" Genma said loudly, trying to divert Soun's attention from the game for a moment and the three extra pieces that he had placed. Soun lost track of the game and turned on Ranma.

"Ranma, what have you done to my baby girl this time?" Soun glared, his presence increasing, readying his demon head attack.

"He hasn't done anything, Daddy. Good afternoon, everyone," Akane said as she walked in, beaming a happy smile. You would have to look very closely to see that she had been crying.

Everyone stared at her except for Ranma. He was busy looking for some snacks in the kitchen. Akane wasn't blaming Ranma?

Kasumi finally noticed him. "Ranma, you are going to ruin your appetite. Please wait for dinner," Kasumi said reprovingly.

"Sorry, Kasumi. I've got another challenger, so I'm gonna be late to supper. I need something to tide me over. Ya don't mind, do ya?" Ranma asked.

"Oh, well that's all right then. Would you like me to fix you a quick snack?" Kasumi asked. Ranma nodded gratefully.

"Me too, please," Akane asked, heading upstairs.

Soun asked, "So, who is it this time, Ranma?"

"Don't know. He was all cloaked up. Didn't sound familiar though. Don'tcha worry, Mr. Tendo. I'll handle him, no problem," Ranma said confidently.

"I'm certain you will Ranma. I have great faith, that you will do the right thing," Soun Tendo said with a glare.

Ranma rocked back on his heels. Somehow he didn't think Soun was talking about the upcoming fight. "Um, yeah!"

Happosai walked back down the hall quietly. He stopped a second. He must not be feeling well. He hadn't even doused Ranma and tried forcing him, er, her to wear a bra.

* * *

Nodoka frowned as she set the phone down. She walked down the hall and looked in the kitchen. "Kasumi, have you seen Ranma?"

"He just left, Auntie. He had a challenge to answer. I think he said that it was at Hokatai park." Kasumi hummed as she stirred the pot of noodles.

"Thank you Kasumi." Nodoka nodded to herself as she walked out the front door. Genma would also want to know, of course. But he could wait. After all, it was far more important to Ranma, than to Genma. It was a matter of honor.

* * *

"Come one, come all. Just 500 yen for entry into the betting pool for the latest fight between Ranma Saotome and a new mysterious challenger," Nabiki said through a megaphone. She circled the area, trying to entice someone to buy in. The park was heavily, darkly wooded. The only open area had a large statue of a man's head, easily twenty feet tall. It was slightly askew and tilted to one side. It almost had a sad expression. Ranma was warming up, waiting for the challenger.

A lady in a kimono stepped out of the trees and looked around. Nodoka then waved Ranma over. "Ranma!"

"Mom! Whatcha doing here?" Ranma asked in surprise, bounding over to her.

"Grammar, Ranma. I have some terrible news, dear. The Guide called from China. The spring of the drowned boy vanished yesterday. It's as if the cursed spring just never was," Nodoka said, watching Ranma carefully.

The crestfallen look on his face almost brought tears to her eyes, but then he pushed it behind himself. He replied, "Don't worry, Mother. There's more than one cure. I've just gotta find it. You'll see!" Ranma finished quietly.

Nodoka smiled in quiet pride for her manly son.

Akane observed the expression on Ranma's face from a distance. Something bad had happened, but he was hiding whatever it was, just like he always did.

Many of the students of Furinkan High School had wandered over to watch Ranma fight someone new. It was always good entertainment. Someone was enterprising enough to have brought some popcorn and other treats. He was making more money than Nabiki, much to her distress.

"No, Kuno. I'm not giving your family katana back until you apologize for wrecking my wedding, attacking Ranma and promise to stop pestering me. I'm sick and tired of you and your deluded fantasies," Akane said, switching her attention back to the moderately insane kenodoist.

"Love of my life, I was just defending thee!" Kuno whined eloquently.

"No, Kuno. Enough is enough. I didn't ask you to defend me." Akane sat still fuming. How had Kuno figured out where she was so quickly? She glanced over at Nabiki with a calculating glance.

One moment there was chattering and bickering.

And the next was silence. Even the animals and birds quieted.

All eyes were drawn to the cloaked figure, standing atop the statue. Mist swirled in suddenly, shrouding the area, distorting distances and muffling all sounds. Ranma stood up taller and then balanced himself for a fight.

Nabiki brought up her megaphone and then put it down without using it. It just didn't feel right, for some reason. She shivered slightly.

Ranma waited for a minute, expecting the man who had challenged him to swing the first attack. Moments dragged out and then Ranma leapt.

* * *

Happosai awoke in a panic. Something was wrong; something was escaping from his grasp. With a sudden surety of knowledge, he knew Ranma was in danger and would be forever be beyond his reach. With a bound he was out the window and charging across town in a panic.

He was only dimly aware that he, Happosai, didn't have an idea of where he was going. But the force driving him would not be denied.

Little flickers of flames, in the shape of hawks, grew in his eyes.

* * *

Ranma only saw a blur and then he was on the other side of the statue. He had missed somehow. That got rid of that idea. Distance attacks obviously weren't going to work, not with the way this guy was distorting things.

Ranma rebounded and jumped back to the statue. With a cry, he lashed out with his full speed. Punches and kicks were a blur. But still the figure wouldn't fall down. Ranma didn't slow down his punches, but he narrowed his eyes, using that elusive sense that could warn of danger to try and find his foe. It almost didn't feel like there was anything there.

Danger? Here? All of a sudden, Ranma's arms felt as if they were made of lead. Each punch he threw seemed to sap more of his strength. In a moment, Ranma collapsed to his knees.

It felt as if he had been fighting Ryoga for hours. Or maybe Cologne and Happosai at the same time for almost as long. Ranma felt cold, as he waited for the first true defeat in ages. He struggled harder, but felt weaker.

Mist swirled higher, obscuring more and more. A chill swept through everyone, causing an involuntary shudder. Everyone froze, as it seemed Ranma was about to lose.

A female voice shouted out in sudden alarm, "RANMA!" Movement followed the sudden shout, but the fog obscured everything.

And then the cold mist covered everything in silence.

* * *

He was too late. He saw that immediately, of course. The entity's fury clouded its mind, releasing Happosai from its control for just a second. Happosai managed to gain just a little freedom, trying to wrestle with the incredible anger that dwelled within him suddenly. "Happo Fire Burst!" he yelled out, flinging a bomb at the fog covered statue. It had to be an enemy, with such hate that he felt for it. His confusion was evident to everyone.

The bomb flew straight and true. It pierced a flickering barrier and exploded against the statue. Such power, such hatred. It had looked like his normal bombs, but it was easily greater by degrees. A voice howled, surprising Happosai when he realized that it was his own.

Luckily for the crowd, what went in easily was not true in reverse. Rocks bounced off of an invisible wall, creating a ring of pebbles and rocks.

"You are too late, dark one. And now you have foolishly sealed his way, barring his return. The Wheel turns and you have again lost in this Age!" echoed a quiet voice in the silence of the aftermath.

"How dare you! Who are you? I was almost free, free to burn this world. He shouldn't have been able to stop me!" Happosai yelled in a voice that was not altogether his own. Light flickered in his eyes, burning terrible and bright. Those who listened and saw, shuddered.

"I didn't even involve myself before now. The Joketzu followed the prophecies as well as they could. Or didn't you wonder why they gave him the Phoenix Pill?" the voice taunted from the wavering shadows. "I have merely sent him to a world that needs him. A world much closer to darkness, in a desperate bid to save all."

"She is still in my power! And the Daughter of Skulls will lead this world into darkness eternal!" the voice within Happosai said, gloating loudly.

"She is also gone. Or did you not feel her leave? She is gone and is probably already dead. Which is for the better. Life and resurrection should be the province of the God of Light. Not your twisted mockery, dark one." It paused a second. "And now you have trapped yourself in that ancient flesh, that shows its evil oh so well."

"NO-O-O-O!" The screams of the man known as Happosai would haunt the audience's dreams for many nights.

* * *

Cold was the first thing he felt and then darkness was realized. He glanced around, trying to figure out where he was. It was night, wherever they were. He seemed to be in some sort of field. A large, mostly buried rock was the only thing that caught his attention for a second, until his eyes fell upon a figure, wrapped in pale moonlight.

"Akane!" Ranma dashed over, carefully picking her up. She seemed so small and frail. Even worse, she didn't appear to be breathing. Ranma felt his heart go cold. He couldn't live with that again. Not Akane being dead and him being unable to do anything. He clutched her desperately to his chest is tender agony.

"Please Akane live. I'll never call you a tomboy again. Nevernevernever," Ranma whispered fiercely. Ranma had never been one to pray, but he prayed feverishly now.

Long moments passed. Ranma wished he had taken those classes that showed how to use CPR. Something to help her. He was dragged back to the present with her shuddering breath.

"Ranma, I'm cold."

"Akane! You're alright," Ranma said as he took in a deep breath. He fought back tears of joy, trying to believe that she really was all right. He hugged her close, not realizing what he was doing.

"Jeez, Ranma. You don't have to hold me that tight." Akane pushed against him, trying to see where they were.

Ranma released her with a jerk and then helped Akane to her feet sheepishly. They both looked around, trying to see something familiar. The moon went behind more clouds. Off in one direction, Akane spotted what appeared to be the lights of a city, reflecting off of the clouds over a hill. She pointed and nodded.

Without discussion, they started to trudge their way through the woods. Ranma watched her out of the corner of his eyes the entire way.

* * *

It was nearly dawn, when they walked into what appeared to be a war. It would have been a quaint little rural village in better times. But it looked as if someone had tried to burn it down and while doing so, tried to hurt as many people as possible with swords and axes.

People stared at them. A few gave them looks of undisguised hatred. Akane approached one of the less hostile people. "Excuse me, ma'am? Could you help us? I'm afraid we are lost," Akane asked tentatively.

"Who are you and where did you come from? And what sort of dress is that. Unseemly short it is. And your hair girl, what did you do to your hair?" the older lady asked as she tugged at her long braid.

Akane recoiled in surprise. "My name is Akane and this is Ranma. And we're from Tokyo." She took a breath to calm herself down. "And what's wrong with my dress? It is quite modest!" She fluffed her pale yellow dress.

"It barely covers your knees, girl. You said your name is Akane? Where is this Tokyo?" the lady asked. She seemed to be a bit nervous.

"Yes, my name is Akane. You haven't heard of Tokyo?"

A man and women walked up to her from behind. Akane jumped as the voice interrupted her from in back of her. "Strangers in Edmonds Field, the day after a Trolloc's attack? That could be considered a bit too coincidental, by some," the women spoke softly. She was wearing a blue dress that was only a bit covered in soot and some grime. She held her staff regally, watching these newcomers carefully.

Ranma was much more interested in watching the man behind her. He'd almost missed him, in that strange shifting cloak. He exuded martial danger. He didn't as much carry his sword, it was more like a part of him. Ranma stepped to the side and crouched ever so slightly. To the untrained eye, he was just slouching a bit.

"And your appearance is a bit odd too. I don't think I could place what lands you are from. And I've an eye for that sort of thing. Lan, what do you think?" the gentlewomen asked of the man in the cloak.

"I don't recognize their features or clothes either. The boy is a warrior, even if he is a bit young, Moiraine Sedai. The girl is carrying a sword, even if it has an odd hilt," Lan replied. The sword was quite strange in his eyes. He had heard of ancient blades that had such hilts, but they had all been lost Ages ago.

"They are a bit youthful. What brings you here and why?" Moiraine asked, peering intently at them. They could be Darkfriends, come to scout out the village after the attack. She blinked and studied Akane very carefully suddenly. Another one? Was there no limit to the surprises today?

Ranma bristled. "Young? Why... "

"We don't know how we got here. Moiraine? We were in a park, watching the fight in between Ranma and another challenger, when a mist rose up and we appeared here," Akane said quickly. She glared at Ranma, which was noted by Moiraine. "Well, a field near here. We walked towards what we thought was a city."

"Really? And what land do you hail from?" Moiraine asked. It was highly unlikely that they had been victims of the One Power. Unlikely, but not impossible.

"Tokyo, Japan, the Nerima ward to be specific. This place reminds me of some pictures of Europe. Do you happen to know where we are?" Akane asked, quickly stopping Ranma from speaking up.

Moiraine thought a moment. "You are in the village of Edmonds Field, of the lands of Andor. Though not many people here remember that, for we are far off the main road."

Ranma and Akane glanced at each other. "What continent is that on, please?" Akane asked.

Moiraine mouthed the unfamiliar but not unknown word. "What 'continent'?" Surely she was joking?

"A continent is a large land mass, surrounded by on most side by oceans. There are seven of them, you know. Asia, Europe, Africa, North America, South America, Australia and Antarctica." Akane said, happy to finally have a use for her geography skills.

"Child, you sound as if you know the maps of the entire world!" Moiraine said, smiling without moving her lips.

"Of course! I get very good grades in 'World Geography'. Ranma slept through that class, the dummy," Akane replied to Moiraine, switching her gaze to glare at Ranma.

"Ah, school is boring. I'd rather walk to some of those places than read a book. I wish they didn't make me go," Ranma replied, sticking his tongue at Akane.

"I'm afraid that I don't know which 'continent' you are from. And I have knowledge from the White Tower." Moiraine considered carefully. They were obviously from some large city, one she hadn't heard of. They were probably wealthy too, considering the education they both boasted of.

"White Tower? Is that a university?" Akane asked innocently.

"No child, the White Tower is the home of the Aes Sedai."

"What's an Aes Sedai?" Ranma asked, watching some of the villagers carrying a body. It reminded him of what tengu were supposed to look like. A really mean and nasty tengu, covered in black chain armor.

"Lights above, boy. Everybody knows the Aes Sedai. Even we simple folk, from the back ends of the world know of them," the old lady almost shouted at Ranma.

"Huh? What'd I say?" Ranma was brought abruptly back to the conversation's front. He took a step backwards, arms up to ward off any blows.

"Aes Sedai wield the One Power. Only the One Power could have transported you here through the mists as you claimed," Moiraine said. These children had a plethora of knowledge and then didn't know what an Aes Sedai was?

"I thought that was magic? I hate magic. Never gives me anything but grief," Ranma said with a scowl.

"You sound like you have been a victim of this 'magic' before, Ranma." Moiraine looked at him in carefully.

"Mistress Moiraine, uh, Moiraine Sedai. Please, you've got to help me, my father is dying," a young man, about the same age as Ranma and Akane asked suddenly as he walked up. He was tall and muscular and had a shock of reddish hair. He looked beat and had a tired, frantic air about him.

Moiraine looked at the latest arrival and then spoke quietly to Ranma and Akane, "We will speak later." She stepped towards Rand Al'Thor. She talked to the new boy for a few minutes and then walked off in between buildings. The figure in the shifting cloak followed silently.

* * *

"So now what Ranma?" Akane asked with a scowl. They were gods knows where and lost. She retied her skirt's belt to hold Kuno's katana. She was not going to lose that idiot's sword if she could help it. That would be a stain on her honor after taking the sword away from him.

"Don'tcha worry, Akane. We'll get home in no time. Just think of it as a training trip," Ranma replied with his quirky grin.

"Oh, so you're going to actually spar with me for real?" Akane said, arching her left eyebrow. "Besides, we have no food and it's biting cold."

"Ha, it's not that cold. It'll toughen ya up." Ranma started trotting in the direction that Moiraine had walked just a moment before. Soon they were at the bridge that crossed a wide stream.

Ranma eyed the waters for just a second and then continued across, Akane following. Looking around, they were on a wide, open field, with several buildings at the edge. The largest was a two story affair, with a sign out front. In front of the inn there was the charred remains of an old style wagon.

"Come on, Akane! This will be a perfect place to practice. And later we can look at getting some food and then finding a place to stay. Besides, I think we need to talk to Moiraine again. She's an Aes Sedai, so she might be able to send us home," Ranma said optimistically.

"Well, I'm hungry, tired and sore. And sparring isn't going to get us any food." Akane glared at Ranma. She was desperately trying to stave off feelings of hopelessness.

"Well, I think I could help you with a bit of food at least. More strangers here Edmonds Field. The Light preserve us," smiled a stout lady in a homespun dress. She had an empty basket and seemed to be walking back to the inn.

"Thank you ma'am. Is there anything we can do to repay you?" Akane asked, curtsying politely. She glared at Ranma until he bowed too.

"Of course, there is always work to be done. Come along and let's get some food into you." She continued, doing the introductions. She was Mistress Al'Vere and the wife of the inn keeper.

They walked into the main room, where an old man with a large mustache was seated next to the fire. He had an odd, patched cloak laying next to him and seemed to be quite upset. "Master Thom! I see you are all right. I was afraid for you, after last night!"

"I managed, thank you, ma'am. And who are these young ones?" Thom asked, peering at them intently.

"Visitors and hungry lost ones, as I can gather. I'll have them help the families that no longer have homes in salvaging their valuables. Would you like some stew?" Mistress Al'Vere asked, stepping into the kitchen.

"Yes, Mistress Al'Vere. Thank you very much," Akane replied, elbowing Ranma to get him to be polite.

He was about to reply, when he felt one of 'them' up against his leg. All of his muscles tensed. It might not be a cat. He had to check.

Akane noted Ranma tensing up and then saw him glance down at his feet. "C-c-c-c-c-CAT!" he screeched suddenly and launched himself into the air. The cat meowed in vexation and took off for a corner. Ranma clutched frantically at a beam that was part of the ceiling. He didn't look like he was coming down anytime soon. Master Thom just stared in surprise.

"Oh, no. Scat! Shoo." Akane scooted the cat out of the room and then started to work to coax him down from the ceiling. "Come on down, Ranma, it's gone. It's all right."

"Are you s-s-sure? The c-cat is gone?" Ranma looked over his shoulder, taking in the room in. He let out a deep breath and dropped easily to the ground.

"Lights preserve lad, I've never seen anyone so terrified of a cat before," Thom stated loudly. He twirled his moustache and looked at Ranma.

"It's not really his fault, sir. His father traumatized him when he was only six. He threw Ranma into a pit of starving cats while covering him in sausages to teach him a martial arts maneuver. Ever since then, Ranma has been terrified of cats," Akane said, with an annoyed look on her face. Stupid Genma.

"His own father? What a monster!" Thom exclaimed in surprise.

"Naw, he's just an idiot. But he's one of the best teachers I know of. Taught me most of what I know," Ranma said absently.

Mistress Al'Vere clucked her tongue to show her dislike of that. She had walked back in just in time to her the explanation, "Martial arts? War arts? What is that?" she asked as she handed them their bowls.

"Hand to hand fighting styles. We usually don't use weapons, but that don't mean we won't. We practice the Anything Goes School of Martial Arts. Not very many practitioners," Ranma said through a mouthful of wonderful stew.

"Well, as soon as you're done, there are some families that need help."

And soon Ranma and Akane were back out the door, helping a family dig through the rubble of their house to salvage what they could. After that Ranma helped drag some of the bodies of the monster men into a pile. Akane was drafted to help wash and fix some clothing.

* * *

The rest of the day passed quickly for the two from Nerima. They were both tired and cold at the end of it. Ranma and Akane trudged back to the Winespring Inn when the sun started to set. They were given another good meal, which they ate quickly while they were in the kitchen.

They were just relaxing for a minute afterwards, when a commotion startled them from drowsing off. It sounded as if there was a mob or something. Ranma stood up and carefully made his way to the front of the inn, just in time to see Moiraine start to twirl her staff, alighting it and berating the crowd. He and Akane listened as raptly as the crowd to her local history lesson, until everyone departed, faces full on contrition.

Ranma watched the crowd disperse for a few minutes, when a thought occurred to him. Ranma glanced at Akane and whispered to her, "We need to talk to Moiraine, right? So let's go find her and see if she can help us get home."

Akane nodded sleepily and replied, "Sounds good to me." She was more asleep than awake.

Ranma craned his neck, trying to spot the Aes Sedai or the warrior that was with her earlier. Finding Lan, Ranma tried to see if the lady was with him. Failing that, Ranma decided to catch up to him. Akane followed They followed the grim faced Lan back around toward the stables. Ranma slipped in and out of shadows absently, using the dark night as another training exercise.

Ranma held Akane back just a second, as they watched a gray cloaked figure step out of the shadows and entered the stables ahead of them. Waiting a minute or two, they heard the hubbub of voices through the door. Ranma looked over at Akane and shrugged his shoulders. He reached over and opened the door for her, letting her in first.

"Another one? Light, why don't we ask the entire village to come with us. We couldn't be less obvious," Lan voiced his displeasure, staring at Ranma as he walked in the door.

"Um, hello? Moiraine? It's Akane and Ranma," Akane piped up from behind. "You wanted to talk to us and we think you might the best person to speak to about getting home."

"The outlanders. Speak quickly, Akane," Lan said glaring at Thom and a young girl that Akane remembered from the inn. Moiraine and three of the village boys were who were there. The boys looked quite nervous.

"Moiraine, you had mentioned that people who could use the One Power might be able to help us. And we really need help getting home," Akane said, shuffling her feet uncomfortably.

"Yeah! Uh, are you guys leaving?" Ranma asked suddenly. He noticed that Lan was quite tense.

"Yes, we have to leave tonight. It appears that you are coming with us," Moiraine said, looking over the two martial artists. "For the only place that has the knowledge to send you home, would be the White Tower. So you must come with us to Tar Valon."

"Uh, ok, I guess," Ranma said blinking slightly. Somehow, he got the idea that he was four steps behind everyone else. He looked over at Akane, who just shrugged back. At least someone was going to help them get home.

"Something more from the pattern, Moiraine? I'll saddle three more horses, then," Lan grumbled and went about it quickly. Ranma got on easily enough, but Akane looked quite nervous. She sat stiffly in her saddle.

"Are you all right, Akane?" the smallest boy asked earnestly as he watched her sit carefully on the large stout farm horse.

"I've never ridden a horse before," Akane replied quietly. She was working hard not to show her apprehension.

"Never? Why is that? Oh, never mind, I'll try to give you some pointers," Mat responded. Mat didn't know anyone who hadn't ridden, except for those who were too small or lame.

Soon they were off into the night, going quietly as shadows. They avoided a patrol from the village and went over the bridge. Soon they were in the forest, heading north. Hooves beat a jagged rhythm, eating the distance at a breathtakingly cold pace.

Much later that night, they passed by another town shrouded in darkness and fog. Ranma heard one of the others, before they were admonished to be quiet, that it was Watchtower. They were almost around the town, when a shriek tore through the night. Horses reared and pawed at the air. Dogs started to howl and lights came on in the village. Pandemonium reigned for minutes.

Quiet was finally regained and Ranma looked around for Akane as usual. His heart lurched when he didn't see her. "Akane?" Ranma called out quietly "Akane!"

"Quiet, boy. Where did that girl go? Lan, something happened to one of the girls," Moiraine called quietly.

"I think I saw her horse go further down the road," Egwene said, pointing north.

Ranma took off down the road at an almost reckless pace. The others soon followed. Even straining his ears, Ranma barely heard Akane off to the side of the road.

"Ranma! Ranma!" Akane called out raggedly.

Ranma pulled up his horse and leaped to the ground and dashed towards the sound. Soon he found Akane, leaning up against a tree. He didn't see her horse as he trotted up. "Akane! Why'd you run off?"

"Run off? That stupid horse ran off with me and then tried to kill me by running into a ditch. Owie. My ankle really hurts," Akane complained. She tried to take a step and stumbled. Ranma instantly caught her and carried her back to the road.

He went back and checked on her horse, finding one of its front legs broken and that its neck was twisted at an unnatural angle. He shook his head and grabbed Kuno's katana and then trotted back to the road.

He got there just as the others were catching up. "You found her? Where is her horse?" Lan asked, while Moiraine walked among the horses and riders. She seemed to be doing something to each of them.

"It, um, broke its neck running in the night. Akane hurt herself too," Ranma said as he checked Akane.

"We can't double up on riders, not even on my Mandarb. She will have to be left behind," Lan let his sorrow show a little. The Draghkar would attack a lone person in the night.

"I'm not leaving her behind," Ranma said hotly.

"Then you can give up your horse for her," Lan said stoically .

"Sure. I can keep up with any dumb horse," Ranma retorted. He carefully set Akane on his horse. He checked her ankle. It didn't seem to be broken, but it was swollen pretty badly.

"Surely you don't think you can run as well as a horse, boy?" Thom said, blowing out a breath that fogged in the air.

"Why not? I'm not going to let Akane be left behind. Ever," Ranma said determinedly.

Lan shook his head. He knew that Ranma wouldn't be able to keep up. He opened his mouth to object, when Moiraine shook her head. Lan blinked once and then gestured to the others to follow. Moiraine finally reached out and touched Akane's horse and then Akane and Ranma. Exhaustion fell from them in waves.

Ranma blinked. That didn't seem like magic. Magic was usually showier. And used items. Sometimes exotic potions and mushrooms.

Soon the pounding of hooves was all that was left. Lan led the way through the darkness, fleeing the occasional shrieks from the Draghkar. Ranma ran in the back of the group, carefully watching for anyone following.

* * *

Dark figures stepped out of the fog and up to the front of a two story house in Taren Ferry. Lan glanced back among the group, to see if anything is amiss. He grunted a little, when he saw Ranma at the back of the party. Ranma didn't even look particularly winded. He squinted while looking at Ranma and then Akane.

"You must do the talking, Lan. As it is, I will be remembered too well," Moiraine said, clutching her cloak to herself to ward the chill air.

"We need to disguise these two also. Their garb will make them stand out," Lan said quietly. He rummaged around in his pack, until he found his spare cloak. "Wear this and keep quiet. Moiraine, do you have your spare cloak? That dress that Akane is wearing will be remembered too."

Moiraine nodded and dug her cloak out too and handed it to Akane. Akane mumbled happy thanks and snuggled into the cloak. It was nice to be warm again.

Lan had rousted the ferryman and paid for the passage across in the night. Soon they boarded the ferry, which shifted under the weight of so many and their horses. When more men arrived Lan, Rand, Mat, Perrin and Thom put on a small show to cause the rough men to think twice before attacking them. Akane smiled tiredly as the village girl laughed in delight. The subdued haulers boarded and started to drag the ferry across the wide river.

The journey seemed more mysterious than a mundane ferry crossing had any right to be, with the fog distorting everything. Ranma stayed near Akane, remembering her inability to swim. Akane smiled at him, putting on a happy face. She looked so tired.

That's why he wasn't watching when the small spray of water hit his legs. It wasn't cold, it was _freezing_ and more than adequate to activate his curse. Ranma cursed under her breath and wrapped the suddenly too large cloak around her. She pulled the hood down to cover her features. Akane sighed and shook her head.

"Stupid curse," Ranma said under her breath as she put her slippers into her belt.

They finally reached the far side and exited the ferry. Ranma wandered to the back of the group, trying to be inconspicuous. She watched Lan pay out the ferryman. They all watched in morbid fascination when the ferry sank and Lan paid him for the loss of the ferry. Before putting his purse away. The man ran off into the fog, pursued by his own greedy workers.

"Light," Egwene muttered when she thought no one else could hear.

Akane struggled back onto her horse. "What do you mean by that, Egwene?" Akane asked as they continued on. Ranma was a shadow behind her, walking briskly.

Egwene just stared at the girl and then asked nervously, "You really don't know? What sort of land are you from where they don't follow the Light?"

Akane squinted at Egwene for a second. "You mean be a good person? I'm a good person! I am respectful of my ancestors and always give the proper respect to the spirits of the land and air. Is the 'Light' anything like Christianity?"

Egwene blinked. And then gulped. "What sort of strange land are you from? Everyone knows of the Light that binds the Dark One and created the world."

"I'm not familiar with that religion," Akane replied scratching her head. She winced as she accidentally moved her ankle.

"I think we should continue this later, Akane," Egwene replied carefully. She moved her horse up the line in front of Thom and Mat.

Thom made a noise in the back of his throat. It sounded suspiciously like laughter. Akane glanced at him, but he didn't start up a conversation.

Very shortly, Lan led them a camping site, heavily covered over by trees. Carefully leading the horse into the hollow, he pointed out the camp. "We'll rest here for an hour or so. Leave the horses saddled, in case we have to leave in a hurry."

Moiraine was already starting a small fire and putting a pot on to boil water. Thom and other boys collapsed gratefully. Egwene stayed near Moiraine, watching what she did carefully.

Akane limped carefully over to where Rand was laying on the ground and sat down herself. She snuggled further into Moiraine's cloak, trying to warm herself. Ranma walked into the hollow, trying to appear casual while keeping herself cloaked up.

The only warning he got was the ringing of steel as Lan drew his blade and struck out at her. "Beware, that isn't Ranma!" Lan called out, swinging his sword lethally, going for her head.

"Whoa!" Ranma managed to say, ducking the first thrust. The rest of the group watched in amazement as Lan flashed his sword through movements quicker than the eye could follow.

The eye, but not Ranma. For tense moments, nothing seemed to happen as Lan attacked and Ranma dodged. And then Lan thrust with a move that he was sure was going to hit. Ranma clapped her hands together, while pivoting her body around the blade. At the end of the pivot, her back foot lashed out, kicking the warder in the jaw hard enough to lay out a normal person.

Lan staggered back dazed. His gaze came back into focus, just in time to see a female Ranma holding his sword at the ready. "Are you done yet? Jeez, what'd I do to deserve tha-at! Urk!" Ranma was interrupted from gloating as it felt as if the air itself had grabbed her. Lan's sword landed on the ground with a dull metallic thud.

Lan reached for his belt and prepared to kill the changeling monster, when a voice called out. "Stop! Lan, are you all right? I have the creature and we need to find out how much it learned and where Ranma is," Moiraine said from where was standing.

"Put him down! That's not a creature, that's Ranma!" Akane yelled out. Ignoring the pain in her ankle, she put herself in a defensive karate stance, focused on Moiraine.

Rand and Perrin had both pulled out their weapons, but waited. Thom was crouched at the edge of the light, where he had been standing for most of the fight. He fingered his daggers, watching all directions at once.

"Not unless he became a she! Or is Ranma a shapechanger?" Lan said, preparing to lunge at Akane. He wasn't taking anything for granted anymore. He wouldn't have believed that an unarmed girl could disarm him. He wouldn't make that mistake again.

"No, not really. Well, yes. Kind of, anyways. He fell into a cursed spring. When he gets splashed with cold water, he does turn into a girl," Akane replied quietly, shifting her stance to make Lan the primary threat. "He got splashed when we were on the ferry."

"So that's what he meant when he said he hated magic," Moiraine mused aloud, studying the floating figure that was only barely able to get her breath.

"You can't believe her?" Lan said quietly. He was gauging Akane's stance and her hurt ankle. He thought he could take her fairly easily, if it came down to it.

"They might be from much farther than I thought. Nor merely a land or ocean away, but Ages from the past," Moiraine said firmly. "How do you reverse the curse, Akane?"

Akane relaxed her stance and then answered the Aes Sedai, "Hot water turns him back into a guy."

Lan relaxed fractionally. He would see how this played out.

Moiraine arched an eyebrow and then released Ranma from the air weaves. Ranma dropped lightly to the ground, hands behind her back.

Ranma looked at everyone nonplused and then spoke up finally, "Um, Sorry about that."

Akane just sat back down, groaning slightly in disgust. Couldn't he have at least said something different this time? She put her hand on her forehead in a display of disgust.

Moraine smiled at that. Obviously this wasn't the first time this sort of thing had happened.

"You know, they do look a lot like each other!" Mat exclaimed suddenly. "Except for the hair color and uh, you know."

Egwene nodded and said, "I know what you mean. But she acts like a boy."

Ranma stood up taller and almost shouted her response, "I am a boy! I mean 'guy'!" She winced suddenly, clutching her ribs. She raised her hand, which was slightly covered in blood. "Ouch. I guess Lan knicked me on that last thrust. Stupid cloak."

Akane fussed over Ranma, much to her vocal displeasure and secret delight. Akane had her take her shirt off and started to bandaged Ranma up as quick as she could. Rand and Perrin found other things to look at. Mat pretended to, but sneaked glances when he thought he could get away with it. Ranma covered herself up as soon as possible.

"Hey, Rand!" Matt whispered.

"What?"

"Do you think they're Aiel? With the way that they fight and all?"

Perrin's interest was peaked by that comment. He frowned in thought for just a second and then replied, "No. They don't match the description that I've heard. They are usually taller and have reddish or lighter hair sometimes. They always veil themselves before they kill you."

Rand nodded in agreement. "They don't look like Aiel to me either."

"But what about the way that Ranma fought? That was incredible! She, uh, he disarmed a warder with his bare hands?"

Rand shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe they learned it from the Aiel. Maybe it's something from the lands they come from."

Moiraine had everybody eat cold food and relax while she talked to Egwene. Ranma tuned it out, while finally relaxing after a very tough and long day, even for a fit martial artist. Everyone was curled up in their cloaks or sleeping rolls. Ranma was quietly snoring by the time the crystal that Moiraine was teaching Egwene with started to glow.

Akane rubbed her eyes. They must be playing tricks with her, because she could swear that she saw a glow around both of them for just a second as the crystal glowed. Yawning, she curled up too and fell asleep.

They were awoken a few hours later, where they quickly ate a cold bite and then continued down the road. Moiraine again passed among every body and pressed her hand to their temple. Feelings of being tired washed away again.

It wasn't the frantic pace of last night. It was barely a crawl in some ways, but Lan kept them to it, even as he seemed to be frustrated about it. He tracked back and forth, making sure nothing was following.

Ranma trotted off to the side of the group. She was quite frustrated. She had managed to change back that morning, but the cold morning air had caused a cold dew to form. Ranma had managed to avoid getting wet three times, but the fourth time caught her by surprise. She yelled at the raccoon in the tree she had been walking under. "Stupid, bandit faced rodent! Why'd you have to go and splash me for?"

"Because it's a curse, Ranma. You know that. That's why it's cold water that activates the curse. If it was warm water, you wouldn't have much of a problem," Akane sighed rolling her eyes. It was going to be a long day, she could tell. Ranma hated to be stuck in her cursed form.

They stopped for a cold lunch and then traveled for a few more hours. Akane knew that she loved Ranma, but sometimes she could just be so irritating. She had been fuming about not being allowed to heat up some water to change back at that time.

That afternoon, after they set up camp, Lan started to train the boys from Edmond Field. He was moderately impressed by their archery, but tried not to show it. He started to show Rand and Perrin how to use their weapons and set them to training.

Lan's eyes traveled over the group, alighting on the sword that was laying near Akane. He walked over to her and then stood for just a moment. "So, do you know how to use that sword? Please show me," Lan said quietly

"Um, I really can't. It's not mine and I would dishonor the owner. Even if he is a stupid fool," Akane said.

"So you don't know to fight except for with your hands?" Lan asked, raising his left eyebrow a little.

"Oh, no! I'm quite skilled in the sword. But this is a family honor blade," Akane replied, curtsying slightly.

"Really?" Lan looked at her for a second. He unsheathed his sword and handed it to her. "Use mine then, so that I may see how skilled you are."

Akane bowed and then took the sword carefully. She moved to an open area, bowed and then started her most advanced sword kata. She flowed in her forms, weaving an intricate dance of steel and light. She quit after about ten minutes, bowing to her imaginary opponent. She pricked her thumb with the blade and then handed the sword back to Lan. She had only a light coating of sweat on her brow.

Rand, Mat and Perrin just stared in amazement. Egwene watched with delight from were she was sitting next to Moiraine. A thoughtful look was briefly seen on Moraine's face, quickly hidden.

"I am quite surprised. I didn't expect you to be near a blade master. Is it normal for a girl to be taught the sword from the land that you come from?" Lan asked as he sheathed the blade.

"Normal? Well, no. But it isn't considered that unusual," Akane replied defensively, blushing a little bit.

"You need to work on your footwork, Akane. You nearly tripped and that would have been fatal against a real opponent," Ranma said from where he was sitting, having finally found some time to heat his water. "Silly, klutzy tomboy!" Ranma stuck out his tongue at her. He put on his slippers.

Akane started to take umbrage, but Lan stopped her quietly. "Very well Ranma, let's see how you do."

Ranma tilted his head and measured Lan for just a second. "Okay," he replied. Rand unsheathed his sword and handed it to Ranma. Ranma stood still for just a second and leaped into a different kata. Where Akane had been controlled grace, Ranma was a tiger. Ferocious, fierce and incredibly fast. Even Lan and Akane had trouble keeping up with the dancing sword.

Lan didn't understand the design behind the movement, until he remembered one of his most advanced practices. He watched carefully, counting the number of invisible opponents that Ranma moved in between. His respect for Ranma increased four fold. He was truly a blade master.

Ranma finished the show, sheathed the sword in an invisible belt and bowed. He also cut his finger with the blade before handing it to back to Rand.

"Good enough for ya?" Ranma said, throwing a grin at Lan.

"I would have you try and help Rand and Perrin. I think they could stand to have a tutor of your caliber in the art of blade fighting," Lan asked politely. "I'll see about getting you a blade in Baerlon."

"Don't need one," Ranma replied, stretching a little.

"A Fade requires its head to be removed from its body, before it can be killed. And even so, it won't die until dawn," Lan replied gravely. Impudent young whelp! He might be good, but you fought shadow spawn with the best sword in your hands. And counted yourself lucky if you lived after the battle.

Ranma scrunched his face, "Ooh, gross." He walked over to a small tree, ten inches wide and looked over at Lan. With a short yell, he chopped the tree down. "Don't need a sword, see?" The tree crashed to the ground.

Lan nodded slightly. "Wearing a sword also declares that you are a warrior. It can keep people from thinking about attacking you. Which could mean less problems."

"Whatever." Ranma let out another yell and chopped a three foot section out of the trunk. Ranma looked at the three foot piece of wood speculatively. It looked to be a pretty solid wood. Not a true hardwood, but it would do.

Egwene whispered to Akane, "Is he normal for where you come from?"

Akane looked back and then smiled. "No, he's the most crass, rude, uncouth, uncivilized person I know of. But I've never seen him really lose to anyone. Ever. Even if they have some fool proof plan to beat him. He's the best martial artist that I've ever seen. He's been training since he was five. But don't tell him that."

Moiraine looked at Akane. "Why not?"

"One word. Ego. I think I've heard him apologize twice," Akane said with a small smile.

"Ego?" Moiraine asked. Another strange word. Was that not an ancient word for 'rational mind' or 'middle mind'?

Akane was about to respond when Ranma piped up. "Hey, Akane. Wanna spar?"

"Sure!" Akane bounced to her feet.

Egwene and Moiraine watched Akane begin one of her sparring sessions with Ranma.

* * *

Mat watched from the side lines as Akane attempted to hit Ranma. "I have never seen someone who fights as good as Ranma. Do you have any stories that do, Thom?"

"The Aiel are supposed to be that good, but that might be exaggeration. I've seen sword fights, my boy and Lan is probably one of the best swordsmen that I've ever seen." Thom fiddled with his mustache, thinking. "But even the Aiel were no match for a Warder one on one."

Thom glared at Mat for just a second. "And of course I have stories of fighters that were this good. Or better. I have all stories."

Perrin watched in amazement as Ranma bounded into the air over Akane's head. "It must be possible, but how can he do that?" Perrin said in wonderment. Akane let loose a flurry of blows, just missing Ranma by a close margin.

"There are ways of doing things that don't require Aes Sedai ways, boy." Thom said, ruffling his cloak.

"Like that trick where you said no one could move you if they tried?" Mat asked suddenly.

"Exactly, Mat!" Thom replied. "Not everything mysterious is the One Power. Just most," Thom mused, almost to himself.

Lan said nothing, watching impassively as the two martial artist practiced. They were both good. Ranma was holding back, but not as much as he would like others to see. And they both believed in some form of code of honor.

Interesting.

* * *

Akane watched the fire as it started to burn down. It was dark now and starting to get cold again. She checked over the different faces as she bundled up in her borrowed cloak.

Moiraine, mysterious and powerful. Lan, equally mysterious and deadly with his sword. Perrin, muscular apprentice blacksmith. Mat, irrepressible prankster and the least serious. Egwene, the girl that wanted to leave her home behind and become an Aes Sedai. Rand, troubled farm boy and the one who wanted to go home already. And Thom, the bard (though he called himself a gleeman) who had joined this group for his own reasons.

Why had she and Ranma been dragged into this mess? Someone was after the three boys, that much she had been able to figure out. Why, no one would say. It was almost like one of those epic stories from Tolkein.

Her gaze drifted over to Ranma as he sat carving things from that piece of wood. "Ranma, could you come here?" Akane asked suddenly. Mat looked over, from where he was watching Thom regale the others with a tale of ages past. He looked away disinterestedly after a moment.

Ranma jerked back to the present and looked around guiltily. "Sure, Akane. One second." He put the curved piece of wood away.

Akane opened her cloak and motioned Ranma to sit next to her in the blue cloak. Ranma stared for just a second, not sure what to do. With an inaudible gulp, he sat next to her. Akane pulled him closer and closed up the cloak. She then snuggled closer to him, reveling in his warmth. "I love you Ranma. And I really mean it. I'm never going to let you go, you know."

Ranma swallowed convulsively. "Uh, me too." He tried to relax. Nothing he had been taught had prepared him for this. The soul of ice maneuver that he had used before suppressed his feelings. And he didn't want to suppress what he was feeling, what he felt for Akane.

Akane smiled as she cozened up to Ranma. She looked up at him for just a moment and the lightly pecked him on his cheek. Ranma blushed furiously and then very carefully, kissed her back on her cheek. Nothing more was said or done for a long while, both just wanting to sit there. She returned his blush and smiled back at him.

Ranma was brought out of his reverie as Rand crept back into camp and laid down. Ranma blinked his eyes, noting that the others appeared to have gone to bed already. The soft snoring under his chin brought him back to what had been going on before. For just a moment, he attempted to slip out of Akane's embrace.

All that caused was Akane increasing her grip and a small, cute frown to appear on her mouth. He gave that up and closed his eyes to go back to sleep. He was lulled quickly by the scent of her hair and her breath on his neck.

Unbeknownst to the martial artist, dark eyes watched them all carefully. Moiraine slipped back into camp, following Egwene back to their blankets. She studied everyone carefully, expression masked. So many odd things. Patterns and puzzles that needed to be deciphered.

* * *

Shampoo dashed around a corner, followed closely by a short figure with long white hair and a young man in long, flowing white robes, thick glasses and long black hair. "Shampoo, wait up my love!" Mousse exclaimed as he followed, in his eyes, his wayward love.

"Mousse shut up or Shampoo hurt you much. Grandmother, what Nabiki say? Why we have to hurry so?" Shampoo asked the aged and withered figure pogoing along with her staff.

"Hush, child. We are here now," Cologne replied as the three went over the compound wall of the Tendo household.

They were greeted by the sight of Soun Tendo, letting loose his passions with a flood of tears. "Oh, my poor, lost, little girl. How could Ranma endanger my poor Akane, Saotome?" Suddenly Soun was glaring at the panda sitting next to him, that was watching the proceedings nervously. Nodoka, Nabiki, Kasumi and Ukyo were all sitting around a table.

"Soun, please calm down. I don't know what has happened, but we must deal with this tragedy calmly, as honorable parents," Nodoka said soothingly. "That, of course, excludes Genma."

"Growf?" The panda pulled out a sign that read, 'I have honor!'

"That was why you convinced Ranma to hide behind his curse? Or weren't you sure that you had raised him to be a man among men? Even if you hadn't raised him to be a man among men, you should have informed me. That is the dictate of honor," Nodoka said as she glared at Genma.

The panda hid the sign and didn't pull out a new one. He tried to put on an abashed look.

"What has happened to my son in law?" Cologne asked in her raspy voice.

"It appears he has been kidnapped, along with Akane," Nabiki said from where she was kneeling down.

"Oh and how did someone manage to subdue him?" Cologne asked, puffing a little bit. She accepted the cup from the ever prepared Kasumi. Kasumi smiled and then went to the kitchen to get more cups.

Nodoka looked the old woman over and then replied, "Magic. Ranma had been challenged to a fight this afternoon. Some sort of magic was used to capture him and then he was taken away in a magical fog. Then Happosai showed up. He had a very strange conversation with Ranma's challenger."

Cologne frowned. "When and where did this happen. And what did this person look like?" the ancient Amazon asked.

"He was all cloaked up, like he was hiding who he was. It was about half an hour ago, at the Hokatai park," Nabiki supplied helpfully.

"Hokatai park? Quickly, child, tell me which statue and where Ranma was in regards to it." A note of apprehension filled the old women's voice.

"Huh? The big, weeping head, of course. And Ranma was on it, just before Happosai showed up," Nabiki replied uncertainly, confusion evident on her face.

"Damn. That's going to make things tough. It is very likely that son in law is not even on this world. If the mysterious challenger used the gateway stone, they could be almost any where or when," Cologne mused. "But the Amazons are well versed in following the paths from them. It isn't that hard to use the gateway stone."

Nabiki concentrated on the old crones words. "What if the statue was destroyed?" said Nabiki, voicing her thoughts.

"WHAT? That would be disastrous." Cologne felt a deep pit open in her soul. This was very bad.

"Happosai destroyed it, just before he had a very strange conversation our mystery challenger," Nodoka replied, sipping her tea.

"Well, then I must see about getting a treasure from our village. It has a possibility of sending someone anywhere, but it is much riskier," Cologne said as she stood. She calmly stood and handed her cup back to Kasumi, bowing slightly.

"Why bother?" Ukyo asked, staring at Shampoo. Shampoo jumped slightly and then stared at Ukyo in sudden hatred

"What are you talking about, child?" Cologne asked, narrowing her eyes.

"Well, Shampoo has already given up on Ranma. So why do the Amazons care about Ranma?" Ukyo asked, sipping her tea.

"Shampoo's wishes are irrelevant. She will marry Ranma, as decreed by our laws. Nothing will stand in her way. Nothing and no one. Is that understood, Ukyo Kounji?" Cologne said as she glared at the impertinent girl.

"Not even Ranma?" Ukyo said, glaring down at the matriarch. Her outward continence hid her terror of the tiny, ancient martial artist.

Cologne sat quiet for just a moment and then smiled sagely. "We shall see then, won't we?"

* * *

The next morning greeted the travelers with a bizarre show. Ranma had risen early and gotten the other boys up with him. He had let Rand and Perrin keep their weapons and had found or made Mat a staff. Ranma had a new wooden sword in his hand, which he used to attack all three as they sparred.

The boys from Edmond Field were feeling outnumbered. Already, all of them had received bruises for their efforts. Ranma on the other hand was handing out insults and critiques of their efforts, all the while parrying or dodging their best efforts. He had disabused them of the notion that while he was busy with one that the others had at least a small chance of success.

"Come on, you slow pokes. Jeez, even Akane could beat you guys up blindfolded and tied up," Ranma bantered at the huffing and puffing trio. "Faster! The sharpest blade does you no good if you can't hit the side of barn with it."

"Hey, guys! Breakfast is ready, come and get it," Egwene said. She scowled slightly at Rand and then turned back to her breakfast. She blinked and then realized she wasn't seeing things. Ranma was sitting in front and to one side of her, two small sticks held easily in one hand. He was fast!

"Um, food!" Ranma smiled. He handed a wooden cup to be filled with tea and also got a small plate of heated dried meat and bread with cheese. He started to gobble it down with his chopsticks.

"Ranma? Do you have any more chopsticks?" Akane asked hopefully. He casually tossed her a pair, which she used to start eating her own breakfast. "So do you like it? I helped Moiraine with breakfast!" Akane announced proudly.

Ranma froze in mid gulp. He waited under the intense stare of Akane for a minute and then replied, "Wow, this is edible. You really have improved Akane!"

Akane's feeling warred for a second. Anger at having her cooking skills slighted and happiness at Ranma actually (albeit, not on purpose) complimenting her. All in one breath even! She was interrupted by Moiraine before she could get more upset.

"With some practice, you should be able to be able to cook unsupervised," Moiraine said, accidentally forestalling another argument.

"Why, thank you!" Akane said, smiling to herself.

Ranma grumbled slightly to himself. If he had said that, he would have been slammed into orbit.

* * *

The next week passed quickly for the travelers. Land and Ranma both trained the boys from Edmonds Field each morning. Lan would give them the forms and maneuvers, Ranma would give them sparring and pointers. Ranma would then train with Akane (mostly dodging her attacks). In the evenings, Moiraine would take Egwene off a little ways to train her in the One Power.

Much of the stress and fear that the young people from Edmonds Field had, had drained away, to be replaced with an optimism about going out and seeing the world. It all came to boil over one night, when Moiraine took hand of the situation after Mat had said an incautious plan.

"Fools. Just because you haven't seen Trollocs or the Myrddraal recently, you think you are safe. To want to wander recklessly, foolishly and see the world. There is only one place safe for you and that is the White Tower. There I only distrust half the people." Moiraine took a moment to gather her breath. "The Dark One wants you three and what he wants, I oppose. If the only way to stop him from taking you would be to kill you, I must. For the Aes Sedai are sworn to fight the Dark One and his armies in any way, shape or form. The fate of the world is too important to be thrown aside on a whim."

Her imperious gaze stopped any response from the boys. It was drawn to Ranma and Akane. "I know not why you have become involved in this. The Wheel turns and weaves a complicated pattern," Moiraine said steadily, with little emotion. "But I think you are here for a purpose, whether good or ill I can not say. I feel that you must come with us."

Ranma felt a wave of cold rise up his back. He had the feeling that Moiraine knew something, something that she wasn't telling him. He shivered and snuggled a little closer to Akane. She responded by holding him tighter. Even so, it was still quite a while before anyone fell asleep.

* * *

They pushed on late the next day. As evening was falling, they saw the wood wall of a town in front of them. Lan had taken his cloak back from Ranma and had put away his cloak that shifted colors. Akane had kept the one from Moiraine and all were wrapped tightly against the night. As was usual, Ranma was trailing the group.

Moiraine seemed to get in a discussion with the gate guard, but Ranma was too far to make much more than a snatch of the conversation. Soon they were led in and traveling down the winding, narrow roads. Ranma smirked a little, watching the awe of the farmer kids. Akane was looking eagerly too, but more for the quaintness of the place.

Thom noticed the look from Ranma and asked him slyly, "What is so funny, boy?"

"Oh, it just looks like they've never seen anything this grand before," Ranma said blandly.

"And you have seen far grander sights, I take it?" Thom massaged his mustache. His curiosity showed on his face.

"Baerlon is small. It's probably about one quarter of the size of a decent sized town. Tokyo, where we are from, wasn't even the largest city that I've seen. And all of the buildings are so short too," Ranma said casually.

Akane nodded. "It's a nice quaint town though. It smells bad though. Do you know what is causing that, Ranma?"

"Sewage. Kinda primitive. No phone lines, or power lines. No autos or trains too. It's like we've traveled back in time," Ranma said. He then shrugged like it wasn't a surprise to him. "Or to some places way back in China, any ways."

"What are those 'things' that you mentioned, lad?" Thom asked curiously.

Akane replied for him, "Technology. Ways of doing things easier than by manual labor."

Thom frowned slightly. "That sounds like something from the age of legends. Hmm."

Lan cautioned all of them to use different names for Moiraine and himself. He was Master Andra and she was Mistress Alys. There were enemies that would cause problems for them if they discovered an Aes Sedai. The party had stopped and then went through a gate and into the stable area of an inn.

Soon they were bundled into the inn and separated to take bath. Ranma luxuriated in the hot water washing the grime of the road off and then soaking in one of the copper tubs.

Thom smiled, as he felt his muscles start to unwind as he sank deep into the water. This week had been hard on the older man. The other boys talked quietly about what they were going to do.

The male server them looked them over and asked, "Is there anything else that I can get for you? It looks like you have been on the road for a long time." He paused for a second, curiosity warring in him for just a second. "From down south, huh? I've heard some stories from down there."

Mat piped up, "Yes! It was exciting!"

Rand spoke up quickly, stopping a potential problem. "Of course it is exciting. I mean we are traveling with a Gleeman."

Thom smiled at the flustered help. "You'll have to pardon the boy, he's never been off the farm. He tends to exaggerate."

"But, but..." Mat complained as Lan entered the room. The attendant moved quickly to help him, but Lan waved him off. With a minimum of fuss, he bundled the slight man out and closed the door.

"Quiet. Do you want to bring down the Whitecloaks on us? You're fool stories could get us in trouble of worse." Lan paused a second and then looked gravely over the group. "No stories of Trollocs or Halfmen. Especially no stories of Aes Sedai and Warders." He singled out Ranma for a second. "And you, try to keep that curse of yours under wraps. I definitely don't want to see you in front of a mob planning on hanging you."

All of the boys nodded gravely, finally understanding what he was trying to explain. Ranma cursed slightly. "Damn. It's not that easy, guys. There's a reason it's called a curse. I'm always getting splashed at just the wrong time. Most of the time, it's been just a nuisance, but it has nearly killed me a couple of times."

"Can't you just avoid cold water?" Mat asked curiously.

"How many times did you see me change on the road? What, once a day at minimum? With no streams or rain. I tell you, sometimes it feels like the water is out to get me," Ranma sighed, sinking deeper into the water.

"So how do we deal with it?" Lan asked, frowning slightly.

Ranma considered and then his expression changed to one of disgust. "Well, I'll try to avoid getting splashed. And hope that I don't get splashed in front of any strangers." He sighed deeply. "And you can call me 'Ranko' when I'm a girl. That way nobody thinks I'm the same person."

"Ranko? Why that name?" Rand asked suddenly curious.

"I, uh, had to pretend to be a girl for a while. It was the name I used then." Ranma asked quietly. He looked quite upset. "I really don't want to talk about it, ok?"

"Well, we'll just have to hope." Lan waved them to silence as the server knocked. Soon they were dressed and led to a private dining room. They arrived just in time to see a young lady depart after talking to Moiraine.

They ate the meager dinner and listened to the ramblings of the innkeeper. He seemed quite upset and worried, but tried to not show it. Eventually he left. After Lan had checked to make sure they weren't being spied upon, Moiraine spoke up. "I've talked to Master Andra and he thinks that we can stay here for two nights. So we shall leave the morning after tomorrow and continue towards Camilein. Keep your heads down. We don't want to attract the wrong sort of attention."

The boys were led up to two rooms, as Lan and Thom went into the main room. Ranma hugged Akane good night and then went and laid down on the beds. Mat stayed up for just a bit, wanting to talk to this stranger alone. "So, Ranma. What is up between you and Akane?" he asked quietly.

It was dark, thankfully. So he couldn't see the scarlet blush. "She's my fiancée."

"Fiancée? You're to be married?" Mat replied in a surprised voice.

"Uh, yeah. We were almost married about a week or so ago," Ranma said. He thought back to that day and the vision of Akane in her dress.

"So why didn't you?" Mat asked. Ranma was about their age, after all. There were a few kids their age already married. Not many, but it wasn't that unusual either.

"It's kind of complicated. The wedding was stopped by the other girls," Ranma replied softly.

"Other girls? Did your family want you to marry someone else? Didn't your family approve of the match? " Mat said interestedly.

"Yeah, my family approves. Sometimes too much, but that's not my choice. But my idiot father engaged me to at least two other girls. And they aren't the sorts to just let it go, either. And then I have a few other nutcases out after me," Ranma replied, shuddering slightly.

"So what have you decided?" Mat turned over in his bed.

"I'm... I'm just not sure I'm ready to be married yet," Ranma said carefully. He hadn't realized that he wanted to marry Akane until just then. That was surprising.

"Well, you'd better tell her that or she's going to get upset," Mat replied, thinking about how lucky Ranma had to be, to be so sought after. After all, Mat himself would never be that lucky. Rand was always the one who had the girls interested in him. It was because he was so tall and handsome.

Ranma thought to himself about that comment and then drifted off to sleep accidentally, while contemplating a future with Akane.

* * *

Ranma found himself in a cold and dark corridor, the stones gray and dark. Light seemed to be coming from nowhere, gently illuminating everything. He looked around carefully. This dream had the tone of one of his nightmares, when the cats were out to get him. Grimacing, he continued down the corridor.

Pretty soon, he realized that he wasn't going anywhere. He passed the same doors, again and again and then yet again. Finally tiring of walking, he opened one of the doors into an odd room. There was a disquieting fire place and a mirror. Ranma looked into the mirror and frowned. It showed the room fine, but he was vague and distorted. You couldn't even tell if he was male right now. The rest of the room was furnished normally, with a table and a set of wood chairs. The sky behind the window looked as if it had been painted, or was from some science fiction show, all reds and yellows.

He turned to the person that he just knew wasn't there a second ago. He was cloaked up and showed only his cruel face. "Who are you?" his voice boomed. His eyes flickered for just a second. "You are not the one I seek. You should not be able to be here!"

"Uh, isn't this a dream?" Ranma asked stupidly.

"Reality is a dream. I have dominion here and I am not seeking you," the figure said. "I am Ba'alzamon. And you had best hope that I do not find you here again, lest I hunger and not be busy."

"Uh, ok. I really don't know how I got here any ways." Ranma blinked trying to understand exactly what was going on. Unfortunately, it didn't deal with martial arts, so he was quite lost.

"Worm! Do you fear nothing? I am Ba'alzamon, he who stood at Therin Kinslayer's side as he slew his own family," The figures eyes blazed, the burning gaze drifting over the young man.

"Really?" Ranma replied, nonplussed.

"Fool, twice over. Let this be a demonstration of my power," he said, curling his fingers while gesturing at the table. On it sat a rat. It started to squeal and twist itself. The little rodent became frantic, just before an audible popping sound. It clawed feebly for a second, before laying there with its eyes staring at the ground, unblinking.

Ranma's hackles got even higher. He set himself for a fight, "I don't know who you are, but nobody does that sort of thing and gets away with it while I'm around!"

"And you would stop me?" Ba'alzamon raised himself to his full height and then seemed to do nothing.

Ranma shifted his feet just a little bit and then felt a tightening in his back. Quickly overbalanced, he fell on his back as it started to twist unnaturally.

"So are any vermin crushed before the Dark Ones might," the dark figure said, eyes glowing with an unnatural fire.

Ranma struggled feeling his back twisting. He struggled to breathe while trying to stop whatever was happening to him. A feeling of panic and helplessness started to rise in his gut.

And then he shook himself awake in a cold sweat. It took a moment to calm down and then many more minutes to drowse back to sleep. The rest he so desperately craved never arrived though. His night was filled with nightmares and terrors. Cats dogged his steps and the smells of fish cakes filled his nose. But these were normal terrors of his night.

The next morning, Ranma woke with the dawn. He stretched and then cleaned up a little with the basin of water that was provided for just that reason. The water was, of course, tepid and cold. She shivered unconsciously. Ranma shrugged and then went to find Akane. Mat, Rand and Perrin could use a day to rest from the bruising she gave them. Unconsciously, she kneaded her lower back with her knuckles, trying to get rid of the pain that had been there since she woke up.

She treaded quietly down the hall and stopped at the room that the girls were sleeping in. Ranma rapped lightly and the door opened. Moiraine stood there looking at the petite redhead.

"Good morning, Ranma. You are up early," Moiraine said in greeting. She stared at the young man turned into a girl.

"'Morning. Akane up? Need to practice," Ranma said blearily.

"She's just getting up. Are you going to join us for breakfast?" Moiraine asked politely. "Are you feeling well, Ranma?"

"Call me Ranko when I'm a girl, please. Yeah, didn't sleep well. The c-c-cats were after me," Ranma said, shuddering as she remembered a particularly vivid dream of the pit of cats.

"Cats? You have a fear of cats then?" Moiraine asked softly. She looked closely at Ranma, expression hidden. This was not supposed to be possible. Unless the curse went far deeper than she had previously thought.

Ranma ducked her head for just a second. "I'm terrified of them. I have been since I was a kid."

"Good Morning, Ranma. Are you ready?" Akane asked, looking far too cheerful for the morning.

"Yeah! Come on lazy bones!" Ranma took off down the stairs and into the back area. Soon the two 'girls' were practicing their art. Blows flew past Ranma, as she ducked the barrage of strikes. Occasionally, she would trip Akane into something, just to remind her to defend herself.

The stable hands watched in amazement as the obviously trained fighters practiced. It went on for about a half an hour, before they called a break and went in to get some food. Ranma paused for just a second and then leaned over to whisper to Akane. "When I'm a girl I'm gonna need to be called Ranko again. It's so we don't get into trouble," Ranma said to her.

Akane nodded and then with an impish grin snatched a bit of Ranma's bacon from her plate. Ranma squawked and then started as small war with their forks. They were interrupted by Lan, returning to the inn with a bundle. "Have you finished playing with your food, Ranko, Akane? I have some things for you."

They glanced at each other and then shrugged. They followed the warder upstairs to Moraine's room. Inside, Lan started to hand them items. A burlap covered bundle was handed to Ranma, while several changes of clothes were handed to each of them. "Your sword. It's the best that I could buy here. It's somewhat adequate. Clothing for both of you, so you won't stick out quite so much," Lan said, staring at them with flat eyes.

Ranma checked the type of clothing, noting that she had clothing similar to the boys from Edmonds Field. Akane had a dress that was a little nicer than what Egwene wore, but not as fancy as Moiraine's. Akane also had a pair of breeches and a shirt to go with it.

"I will return shortly," Lan said and then bowed out.

Moiraine looked away for the windows which she had sat in front of quietly for a while. She then looked over at Egwene. "Could you excuse us for a second, Egwene? I need to speak to Ranko and Akane."

Egwene blinked for a second and then replied, "Of course, Mistress Alys." She stood up and walked out.

Moiraine looked at the door for a second and then turned her gaze back to the two girls who were left. "This is more for Akane's benefit, actually. Do you realize that you have the potential to channel the One Power?"

"Ah, no Mistress Alys. I'm not going to be using it any ways, so it doesn't matter," Akane said. She shrugged and looked nonplussed.

"I'm afraid it does. You are starting to burst at the seams, Akane. If you aren't trained soon, you will either gain a little bit of control yourself or you will die." Moiraine waited a moment to let that sink in. "In some rare cases, a girl learns how to channel instinctively. More often, she dies a feverish death. You don't want to die, do you?"

Akane replied, her face suddenly very pale. "No. Do I have to become an Aes Sedai?"

"Very few have the aptitude or the willpower. But you will get the training to survive and control this ability to at least some degree," Moiraine replied. Moiraine's eyes flickered over to Ranma for just a second. "At least you won't go insane as men who channel do."

"Men who do magic go insane?" Ranma asked. She thanked the gods that she didn't do magic.

"Or die horrid deaths. The male half of the one source is tainted by the Dark One. Any man who channels is hunted down, for his own good and those around him," Moiraine said. "It has been that way since the shattering."

Moiraine let them digest that and then quietly escorted Ranma out of the room. "You need to change, the both of you. And then you can go out and see the city." It was not quite an order, but Ranma left any ways.

In a short while, they were out in the city, dressed in their new clothes. Ranma had managed to heat enough water to change genders and then strapped the new sword on the sword belt at his side. He felt uncomfortable, wearing an implement of death on his hip. He could kill with his fist; that was true. But he could also render an opponent unconscious. You really couldn't do that as easily with a sword.

He shoved that to the back of his mind and started to enjoy the walk with Akane. The wandered the city, window shopping, except without the windows. Akane loved to see the hand crafted jewelry. She watched avidly as a craftsman carefully wrought a ring out of gold and started to put intricate designs on it. "That's very pretty, don't you think, Ranma?"

"Yeah, it's kind of nice," Ranma replied disinterestedly. He was remembering the disaster at his mother's house, when all of the fiancées, excepting Akane, had torn the house apart, looking for a supposed wedding ring. With out thinking, he blurted out softly, "Wish I could get you a ring like that."

"Really, Ranma?" Akane said, looking up at him hopefully.

"Uh, yeah." Ranma started to mentally berate himself for opening his mouth.

"Does that mean you want to, uh, marry me?" Akane asked breathlessly. Hope showed in her eyes.

"Uh, I, uh, think so. But not yet. I've gotta figure out how to not hurt anyone else. And I ain't figured that yet," Ranma sighed, letting show his vexation about the situation.

He grunted as Akane hugged him fiercely. "Thank you, Ranma. I was so scared that you didn't really like me, that you were going to leave me for one of the others." Akane buried her head in Ranma's chest, stifling her sobs.

"You… you're the only one for me," Ranma said hugging her close. Why was Akane so worried? "What's wrong, Akane?"

"I wasn't sure that you loved me. You're always going over to Ukyo's and you, you almost said you loved Shampoo that one time," Akane sobbed softly.

"I never said that. I was just... not wanting to be ignored or left alone," Ranma said. Ranma's pulse was racing. This wasn't something that he knew how to deal with very well. Sudden realization struck Ranma. Ranma knew that Akane loved him. She'd told him, after all. He hadn't said anything, really. He'd tried to weasel out of it and Akane was scared that he didn't really love her. His heart clenched in his chest suddenly. "I lo-ove you, Akane."

Akane smiled her heart-melting smile and then replied, "Thank you, Ranma. I love you too." She relaxed considerably.

"Let's go back to the inn. I'm kinda hungry," Ranma said suddenly, breaking the mood.

Akane smiled and then pecked him carefully with a kiss and then started to trot down the street towing him along.

* * *

They were cutting down an alley way, when they ran into a young lady. She raised her hand stop them and then looked at them closely. "You're with Moiraine, aren't you? Or should I say, Mistress Alys?"

Ranma rocked back on his heels. "Uh, yeah."

Akane looked at the girl and the fact that she was wearing men's clothing. "And who are you?"

"I'm Min. Moiraine wanted me to take a good look at all of you and then tell her what I see." She frowned as she stared at Ranma.

"What you see? What does that mean?" Akane asked suddenly.

Min glanced around quickly, making sure no one was near. "I see things. Things that will happen. Things about a person. You two will marry, I can see that. But around him, I see a fire that changes into some sort of serpent. And then he changes into a red haired girl. A flaming bird rises from the ashes, ensnaring you both. Around you, girl, I see a field of skulls and two girls that seek your death. And in both of your futures, I see the White Tower and broken arches that go nowhere."

"What does it mean?" Ranma asked suddenly.

"I don't know for sure. But when the group walked in you could see sparks in clouds around you all. But now I can see even more around just you two. And the new girl, she's involved somehow too. It's worst around the boys for some reason."

"I think we'd better be off," Ranma said suddenly. Something about talking with this girl unnerved him.

"You can't escape your fate, you know. You can only hurt yourself in that struggle," Min called as they left her to go into the inn. She mumbled to herself, "I should know."

"That was weird." Ranma shook his head.

"What did she mean, 'a field of skulls'?" Akane asked.

"I don't know." Ranma sneezed suddenly. Ranma started to get nervous. Trouble was sure to be on its way.

* * *

They arrived back at the Stag and Lion and were told that the rest of their party was in the private dining room. They opened the door to room and it almost felt like it was twenty degrees cooler inside. Everyone was inside and one extra. Ranma vaguely remembered her from Edmonds Field. She had hit him with her staff. He couldn't even remember why.

"Hi! We're back." Ranma sat down and started to pile food on his plate. Akane smiled at Egwene, who took comfort in her strange new friend.

Moiraine took only one look at the two latecomers. "Be that as it may, Wisdom, the boys have to come with us. It is not safe for them to go home, not with Trollocs hunting them."

"Fine, if that is the way it will be. I will accompany them, to make sure that they are safe," the waxen haired young women said. "Egwene need not go, though. I can hire someone to take her back to her home."

"She has other plans now. Perhaps you should speak to her first, Nynaeve," Moiraine said, then sipped lightly from her cup.

"What do you mean? Egwene, please explain what your 'plans' are," Nynaeve asked, focusing her full ire on the young girl.

"I... I'm going to the White Tower, to Tar Valon to be trained. I may be Aes Sedai and I wish to try," Egwene said in a rush. Rand tensed, but let nothing else show.

"You! You put her up to this, didn't you?" Nynaeve accused hotly to Moiraine.

"No, actually. She has the potential and I offered to take her there. But it was her choice," Moiraine replied calmly.

Mat whistled softly. "I wouldn't want to be in her shoes for the life of me," Mat said softly. So softly that only Ranma heard him. Ranma shrugged, to let Mat know that he had heard him. Mat smiled back. He was irrepressible.

The rest of the evening passed fairly uneventfully. They went into the common room and watched Thom perform. After several hours of stories and songs, the call went out for dancing to start. Ranma proved to be almost impossible on the dance floor, but Akane was patient, teaching him the basic dance steps.

Ranma took it upon himself to view it as training and tried harder still. By the end of the evening, even Moiraine had to agree that he had improved quite tremendously. The group broke up and departed for their rooms. Ranma walked Akane to the room that she shared with the other females and quickly kissed her good night. He was starting to like this 'mushy' stuff. He had a silly grin on his face as he walked back to his room.

He was almost bowled over by Lan as the warder charged down the stairs. Not one to be left out, Ranma followed him down.

Rand was downstairs, by himself. "It was a Fade and it was looking for us. Light, I thought it was going to kill me. It hated me so," he started to babble. Lan rushed past him and out into the night, Ranma following.

"Too late. We'll never be able to catch it now. Fades have the Dark Ones own luck," Lan muttered to himself.

"No problem! I'll catch him!" Ranma yelled, leaping to the roof and disappearing in a flash. He missed Lan's cry for him to come back.

He crisscrossed the roofs, looking for a dark cloaked figure. He almost missed him, as he silently slid through the night. But just a flicker of movement and he had his target. Instinctually, he leaped to the alley that it was hidden in to confront it. "Hey you, stop!"

"Get out of here, Worm. Tell the others, while I take care of this pest," the Fade ordered. A midnight blackened sword appeared in his hands, as the smaller figure scurried off into the night.

Ranma froze, when he truly saw it for the first time. It looked mostly human, but its eyes were missing, the skin being unblemished where they should have been. Its skin was pasty white and it moved with a suddenness that nearly overwhelmed the young man. But sixteen years of martial arts saved his life, causing him to dodge the first lethal strike.

It staggered in surprise and then recovered. It came at him in a flurry of swings, attempting to kill or maim him quickly. Ranma dodged them, but wasn't able to exploit any openings. His reach was too short and its speed was too good. And for some reason, the sword that it wielded unnerved him. He lulled it into the open and then started to use his greater maneuverability against it. It had a hard time adapting and he managed to get several shots in. It just wasn't used to a target that would bounce off of walls and to strike with incredible swiftness.

But nothing seemed to affect it. It shrugged off blows that should have felled six men. Heck, two Ryogas.

"Are you unable to use that sword, young one? Or are you just playacting, to hide the fact that you are one of us? Either way, it is not enough. I will kill you and the Dark One will have his prey," the fade said in the first lull of the fight.

"I'm not gonna let you hurt Akane," Ranma said determinedly, his voice instantly as cold as ice.

"One of the girls? The Dark One cares little about them. They shall serve him, or die for his pleasure," the fade said, grinning evilly at the discomfited youth. "Or perhaps his servants pleasures."

Ranma paused and then his new sword appeared in his hand. "Don't you ever threaten Akane. I'll kill you or anyone else who does."

The ringing of blades was the fades only answer. Back and forth they went, for tense moments. Finally, Ranma adapted to the imbalance of his new sword and pressed a vicious flurry of attacks that blurred in the dim light. The fade had a moment to gasp and then it staggered back. Liquid leaked from a half dozen lethal wounds in its chest.

Ranma said nothing, expecting it to collapse. It sat still for just a second and then attacked as if nothing had happened. Ranma was almost overwhelmed by its press, but managed to stop its advance. He sent a mass of attacks at the creature and then leaped, blocking its return attack in mid air. Just before he landed, he sent a sweeping attack at it before the fade could turn.

Ranma landed and then spun to face his opponent. It staggered for a moment and then started to blindly flail around, trying to find its target with out its head. Ranma disarmed it and then caught the fades blade before it touched earth. With a quick spin, he threw the blade at the headless thing and pinned it to the wall.

"I guess he was right, you do have to cut its head off," Ranma muttered to himself. He felt a little nauseous, but shoved the feelings behind him. In a few minutes, he was back to the Stag and Lion where he found the rest of the group just finishing saddling their horses.

Lan's sword appeared in his hand, leveled at Ranma. "Did you kill it?" he asked quietly as he sheathed the sword.

Ranma nodded and quickly wiped his blade of the black ichors. "I got him, but his friend got away. Sorry," Ranma said. He glanced around until he saw Akane on her horse. He breathed a sigh of relief.

Soon they were traveling through the night and shrouded houses. They headed for the same gate that they had entered in. Ranma saw the flash of coin as Lan bribed the gate guards to let them past. They had just started to open the gates when five figures in white cloaks showed up. A golden sunburst was adorned on each, where the heart would be.

"Who seeks to exit the town after dark? Only Darkfriends would against the Governor's orders," the lead man said.

"It doesn't matter, you have no authority here. Leave us be!" the old guard stated clearly. You could definitely see his dislike for the white garbed men.

The lead man glared angrily at the guard, but didn't attack. He looked at the rest of the group, as if he could memorize each of their features. His eyes alit on Rand and you could see recognition in his eyes. "Light be with us, the Darkfriend from earlier today. Guard, hold them, they are Darkfriends! We have saved you from aiding these minions of the Dark," he said and pulled out his sword. The other men with him also pulled out their swords and prepared to take them captive. "You are not going anywhere," Dain Bornhald, Child of the Light, said menacingly to the group of adventurers. He took a step forward, not taking his eyes off of the young man who had insulted him.

Moiraine took a step forward and opened her mouth. She was interrupted though, by a blur in gray clothing. Dain had but a moment to react before he was knocked to the ground. As he collapsed, he heard cries of alarm as his men were attacked.

After a few moments, Ranma stood back from his handiwork. All five of the Whitecloaks were unconscious and several would be in a lot of pain for a couple of days, but that was all. Lan was calming the guard down, handing him more money and explaining the situation to him.

"You know that the Whitecloaks are just looking for an excuse. They picked our lad because he isn't from around here and they thought no one would be able to defend him," Lan whispered urgently.

"Well, I don't know Master Andra. They'll be back to cause problems, you can be sure of that!" the guard said, trying to sound wise.

"Well then, it's best we be off, so that we can pull their displeasure after us." And with that Lan leaped to his saddle and led the party out the now open gates. Soon they disappeared into the darkness, with almost none the wiser for their departure.

* * *

They traveled hard for the next few days, heading along the old road. But unlike the last journey, no one lost the sense of unease. Ranma and Lan drilled the men in the arts of warfare, while Egwene and Akane started to receive the rudiments of controlling the One Power in the evening. Most of the young men were discomfited, except for Ranma. He just shrugged and ignored it. As far as he was concerned, as long as Akane didn't learn how to turn him into a toad, he was fine.

Ranma liked his new horse, which he decided to call Mustang as a sort of pun on his own name. It was a spirited horse and seemed to be built more for speed than the sturdy horse he'd had before. He didn't like the way they were traveling though. They lived on flat bread, cheese and dried meat. There was no fire, which meant that after his first encounter with cold water, she was a girl for the trip. Ranma snickered at the memory of Nynaeve as she freaked out at the 'freak' and 'abomination'. That cheered her up for a second.

She missed the hugs from Akane, though. Both of them weren't comfortable being intimate while Ranma was a girl. One more reason why she hated her damned curse.

She had taken up the last position in the party. It just seemed to fit her mood and helped the others avoid her. Her reverie was broken as she heard a horn in the distance.

Lan turned his horse. "Trollocs. But why are they so obvious?"

Moiraine squinted in the direction of the horn and nodded. They traveled for a while and changed direction slightly. It was a few minutes later when more horns sounded to the south. Lan said something to Moiraine and then took off back in the direction of the horns.

The party continued nervously, watching for anything all of the time. They were traveling about an hour later, when Lan reappeared suddenly to the side of them, not from the direction he had disappeared to. Moiraine signaled everyone to come closer.

"I found the Trollocs and the fades that are pushing them forward. A full five fists are behind us," Lan said gravely.

"What does that mean?" Nynaeve asked, tugging at her braid fitfully.

"Lan is saying that there are five hundred Trollocs behind us." She let that sink in for a moment and then continued. "We shall have to push the horses even harder than before."

"There is always the other option," Lan said as he squinted off in the distance.

"No, that is too dangerous. That is the option of last resort and you know it," Moiraine said clearly, her calm slipping a little. "We may have to try for the river and hope for a ship."

Lan didn't reply, but turned his horse and started to lead them further along.

The thought going through most of their minds was what could be worse than hundreds of Trollocs and several fades.

They traveled for a couple more hours with the sounds of horns gaining on them. They came over one of the many hills and surprised a group of twenty five Trollocs, being led by a Myrddraal down the small valley in the general direction that they were traveling from.

The eyeless raised his sword and met Lan's charge head on. Each of Trollocs carried mancatchers, along with their swords and maces. With hoots and hollers, they charged forward. Rand charged forward with a cry of 'Manethran'. Perrin took that up, but Ranma didn't understand what Mat started yelling as he charged.

Lan and the Fade went sword to sword, horses dancing beneath them in a sweeping circle. No one came close to them. The Trollocs were met by a whirlwind named Ranma Saotome and Akane Tendo. Ranma leaped from her horse and met the first Trolloc with her feet, slamming it back a few steps. Before she had reached the ground, she had kicked it three more times and numerous punches. Two of the others attempted to noose her with their mancatchers, but were easily eluded as she slipped between them like a ghost.

Akane put her feet solidly on the ground and met the charge of three Trollocs. They didn't think of Akane being much of a threat and didn't even bother to try and catch her. The lead Trolloc struck with and large metal covered fist. Akane sidestepped, pivoted and twisted the arm cruelly behind the Trolloc. She lashed out with a kick, breaking his knee while slamming his wolf's head into the ground.

She turned just in time to see Rand somewhat skillfully (if not gracefully) run one of the Trollocs through and parry a clumsy attack. An arrow appeared in the other Trolloc's back and it jerked reflexively, leaving itself open to another lethal strike from Rand. Mat whooped from the back of the group, until a Trolloc charged him. Akane intercepted that one and diverted it from the impudent young man.

Perrin was struggling to avoid three Trollocs, until Ranma appeared, sword in her hand. In moments, the Trollocs fell back or down. In concert the two of them charged a group of Trollocs threatening Akane, Rand and Mat.

Suddenly all of the remaining Trollocs collapsed, twitching.

Lan pulled Mandarb back from the flailing form of the Myrddraal. It kept waving its sword blindly, its head missing.

Around Moiraine, Nynaeve and Egwene there lay a few of the Trollocs, scorched and burned. Moiraine arched an eyebrow. "It seems those morning practices have done them some good. They aren't quite hardened soldiers yet, but they are no longer unblooded men either."

Nynaeve scowled and bit off a remark. She agreed, even if she didn't like it. Egwene nodded, an excited flush on her cheeks.

Lan cleaned his sword and looked at Moiraine with a very strong, stony continence.

"Very well. It does seem to be the only choice. Lead the way," Moiraine said. She turned back to the party. Lan nodded and then led the group at a fast pace. They avoided another searching band of Trollocs and continued for another hour or so. Rand was the first to notice that the rocks and vines that they were walking their horses through, were overgrown walls and collapsed buildings. Soon they came upon an opening into a majestic and deserted city wall. Inside the devastation was muted, little grew at all.

"Here lie the ruins of Shadar Logoth. We should be safe enough, as long as we are careful. No Trolloc has set foot in her for centuries. Not after an entire army of theirs disappeared," Moiraine said quietly. Soon they were down among the ruins and swiftly they found an old inn in the middle of the city. Quickly they set up camp inside the hollow.

Ranma hadn't realized it, but she had been roped into doing the same things that the girls were. Mat figured the correct moment when Lan had disappeared and vanished into the ruins with Rand and Perrin. It took a few minutes for their disappearance to be noted.

"Where did those boys go? This is no time to be wandering off," Moiraine said worriedly.

"Perrin is with those two. At least he has some common sense!" Nynaeve said, snorting her disgust.

"Isn't it safe?" Akane asked from where she was finishing setting up for supper.

"No. Not safe at all. I hope they stay away from the shadows and dark places in these ruins." Moiraine looked out into the lengthening shadows. "We shall have to wait for Lan to come back from his scouting, or hope they return on their own."

"Why don't we go looking? Are there ghosts or something?" Ranma said, flopping down on her bed roll.

"Something, yes. Ghosts would be a close enough analogy," Moiraine replied absently. She seemed to be focused on something else entirely.

"Hey, Akane! Should we make some spirit wards?" Ranma asked innocently.

"That's a good idea Ranma!" Akane exclaimed.

Nynaeve left eye twitched. "And where did you learn to make spirit wards?" She tugged at her braid again. She did not like this talk. Ranma discomfited her with her strange curse that changed her gender at the splash of water. She was an able fighter, surely. But that was too strange.

"Happosai, unfortunately. The old lecher had a real bad habit of summoning spirits and other things. So in defense, we learned how to make these wards," Ranma said, digging in her pack for something. She presented what she had found, a small bottle of ink. "Ta da!"

"Its just ink," Egwene said confused.

"Uh, yeah. But the wards are written in a special way. Wish we had some paper though. Then we could take the wards with us later, or slap them on the ghosts," Ranma muttered. She took out a wooden calligraphy pen and went to one of the major walls and started to print the beginnings of a ward.

Moiraine watched carefully for any sign of channeling, but could see nothing. As far as she could see, there was nothing but writing going on. After a few minutes, she started weaving her own wards, invisible and intangible. They wouldn't be able to stop Mashadar, but they would make the people in the room invisible. At least that was she hoped.

* * *

It was about an hour later when Rand and Perrin dragged Mat back into the camp babbling excitedly about some strange man.

They were interrupted by Lan returning a few minutes later. "There are Trollocs in the city. I would not have believed it if I hadn't seen it," Lan said grimly.

"Quickly, break camp in case we have to leave quickly. The Fades must be driving the Trollocs into the city," Moiraine said intently, staring out into the darkening city.

Everyone tried to avoid thinking about what had driven the Fades into the city. An uneasy presence, which they hadn't even realized had been there, suddenly departed in eerie silence. Rand glanced around nervously, but no one met his gaze directly. Without arguing, they followed his lead.

Minutes trickled into an hour and more as the sun slipped beneath the horizon. The first sound of hooves and boots could be heard echoing down the streets. Lan motioned everyone to follow him and try to move as silently as possible. Tense minutes followed, as they wove through the ruined alleys and back ways. They heard a howl off in the distance and the answering grunts and squeals.

"They have our scent! Run for the gate and head for the river. Try to cross! Trollocs are afraid of water," Lan hissed out, pulling out his sword. He led the way on his horse, winding quickly through the roads and rubble. They made it another few streets, when there way was blocked by a sudden rolling mist that blocked the road.

"Mashadar!" Moiraine cried out. "Go back! Quickly! Its touch is death!"

Ranma watched Akane as the rest of the party retreated. Akane seemed both flushed and pale at the same time. He couldn't be sure, but she seemed to not be feeling well. She jerked herself back to awareness and snapped her reigns to get her horse to follow. Ranma followed, watching the mist as it seeped into the alley after them.

She shuddered, until the first cries of the Trollocs filled the air. Snapping her eyes back to the front of the group, she saw shadowy shapes fighting back and forth. She hopped to her feet in the saddle, reigns in one hand, her new sword in the other.

It was a short ugly fight and interspersed with flashes of lightning and fire. Moiraine's staff danced and swung, filled to the bursting with the One Power. Egwene and Nynaeve stayed in her protective shadow. Lan and the boys held the Trollocs as best as possible, until rescue appeared in a sudden blur named Ranma.

She leaped and bounced off of walls and foe alike, wreaking havoc on the unprepared animal men. Each time she came near, her sword flashed or bones snapped under her expert care. And each thing struck was either killed or incapacitated instantly.

The last few Trollocs fled back into the darkness as Ranma landed on her horse's back, feet slapping the saddle.

"Keep close and be wary for more Trollocs." Lan glanced around to see if everyone was all right and then twitched his reigns.

They made it into another district, when they were spotted by a band of Trollocs down the street. Their yowls brought more of their brethren as they charged down the road. With the suddenness of a striking viper, mist curled out of the small alleys, encircling the suddenly terrified creatures. Bands of pale mist wrapped around each Trolloc, entangling them in an icy embrace. Their blood curdling screams echoed around the ruins, hauntingly reverberating through the air in a symphony of pain and suffering.

Madness seemed to grip the horses, as several of the horses took their bits and flew from the area in panic. Ranma managed to wrench her horse around and followed Akane. Several horses followed, but Ranma didn't look to see who was there. More cries were heard behind her, but she disregarded them to continue after Akane.

Another band of mist intercepted Ranma's horse, blocking her from following Akane. Her horse shied and bucked, trying to fling the red haired girl into the air. Ranma turned Mustang and went down a side passage. At the next intersection, she turned to follow the direction that Akane went. Another bank of mist moved to intercept her, but she savagely pushed Mustang to leap over it.

Akane was slumped over her saddle as it walked into a small open field of rubble. Ranma was blocked by more mist as it quickly encircled Akane and her mount. Tendrils of mist would attempt to come closer and then shy away as if struck by some unseen force. Ranma scavenged her mind, trying to think of some way to get Akane out of there while trying to figure out why she hadn't been attacked already. Ranma abandoned Mustang, shooing the horse off a short distance.

Akane jerked to an abrupt rigid stance, still sitting in her saddle. Her eyes snapped open as a harsh white glow came to her eyes. A rapt smile came to her face, as her feverish gaze drifted across the area. Where her sight went, the mist flinched as if struck. Even as it seemed to be pushed back, the mist became more and more emboldened. Wisps of the strange glowing fog flicked out faster and faster.

Ranma cupped her hands and pointed it at some of the mist. "Roaring Tiger Bullet!" she shouted. To her surprise and consternation, the ki blast that struck the mist was small and very weak. The mist flinched at the sudden attack and finally took notice of the red haired girl.

"Uh, oh." Ranma said, staring dumbfounded at her hands. She ducked and then leaped, avoiding the flailing fog. The mist circled closer and closer to Akane, her head thrown back in rapt adoration. The mist of Mashadar started to enclose her without touching her, becoming a sort of sheath.

"AKANE!" Ranma yelled.

Something snapped in Ranma and a torrent of power, of energy, welled up from within her. The winds roared and swirled. Small rocks, sticks and bushes were stripped off the ground and flung into the newly created vortex of the tornado.

Mashadar shrieked and screamed as the winds picked at it, stripping it into bands and throwing it into a spiral. In moments not a trace of the foul mist was left. With a thundering boom, the tornado, or dragon as it was known in China, imploded.

* * *

Moiraine turned and looked over the ruined city, her gaze pulled towards the wavering column of air, senses tingling with the use of Saider. Her face paled as she saw the tornado spin and waver, weaves easily evident. Suddenly it vanished, just before the sound of thunder crashed into her and Lan.

"Light," Moiraine muttered. She shook herself out of her reverie and focused on the pulling sensation of the coins that she had given Rand and the other two boys. "Quickly, this way."

Lan followed mutely, his face hiding his sudden worry.

* * *

Akane blinked, trying to get the dust out of her eyes. She shuddered and curled up in her saddle. Cold tingles ran up her back in waves. A miasma of foulness covered her senses, shading everything in dark despair.

"Akane!" Ranma shouted hoarsely. She staggered towards Akane, who seemed to be in great pain.

"Ranma..." Akane muttered weakly. Her eyes lifted up, to look into the red haired girl's worried eyes. "W-what happened?"

"I dunno. I don't think we've got time ta worry though. Let's get out of here," Ranma said looking up at Akane.

Akane nodded and grabbed her reigns, turning the horse to the north.

* * *

Rand led Mat and Thom away from Shadar Logath. They had finally found a break in the walls and headed in the direction that Moiraine had told them earlier. His horse was staggering, having been driven for hours, staying just ahead of their pursuers.

"Rand! Stop!" Thom said urgently.

Rand looked back. "What?" he whispered back.

"Can't you see a lantern off that way?" Thom said, bristling his mustache with his fore finger. He pointed off to the side of their path, where a light was showing dimly.

"I can see it too. It's not moving. Could it be a house? Or a farm?" Mat inquired eagerly.

Rand wavered indecisively, until Thom slid off of his saddle and started to lead his horse through the brush. Rand and Mat followed after a moment.

"Leave the horses! Follow me," Thom said, letting go of his horse's bridle. In moments, he and the two boys had scrambled aboard the ship laying in the shallow waters. "Wake! Wake up you fools! You're under attack!" Thom roared.

Snorts and howls answered from close behind. Just a moment before the first Trollocs managed to get on the ship, the crew rousted out of their slumber. Thom sent a kick at the sleeping watchman, awakening him out of his drunken slumber with a snarl.

And then the fight started in earnest. Rand had pulled his sword and was managing to hold his own, barely. Mat raised his bow to ward off a blow that would have killed him. Thom's daggers wove a deadly dance, cutting one Trolloc down and giving pause to another. The sailors were no shy maidens, attacking savagely with cudgels and hooks for those who didn't have swords or daggers.

A burly man ducked and then gutted the Trolloc he was facing and then chopped at the rope holding them near the shore. With a jerk, the ship began to drift down river.

Rand was hard pressed by another Trolloc, while two had managed to grab Mat and were preparing to jump back to the bank with him. Rand screamed out and tried to charge them, when the ship seemed to hit a snag. The boom creaked and then groaned. With a loud snap, it swung around and swept Mat and his two attackers back onto the ship. The three figures tumbled to the ground and didn't move.

Slowly, oh so slowly, the ship drifted into the safety of the deeper waters.

* * *

"Did you hear that?" Ranma asked Akane.

"I think so. It sounded like yelling and fighting." Akane shivered. The night had grown very chilled and she hadn't really recovered from whatever had happened earlier.

"Stay here. I'll check it out."

Ranma was soon creeping through the bushes, until she spotted what seemed to be the cause of the commotion. It was a ship that was sailing off into the river. Her keen eyes spotted a familiar figure, gesturing widely and snatches of his conversation drifted to her ears.

It was going to drift by in just few minutes, far out into the waters.

Making a quick decision, Ranma ran back and grabbed Akane, who squawked, off of her horse. Ranma began to breathe deeply, lungs taking in air like a bellow as she dashed towards the river. "Ranma, what's going on?" Akane asked, as branches whipped by, leaving little stinging marks on her arms and face.

"Trust me!" Ranma managed to gasp out. She reached the edge of the river, where Akane could see the ship, quite far out. Ranma ran full out and then leaped as far as she could, using every last little bit of willpower available. Akane could see that she wasn't going to make. They were dropping too fast.

At the very last moment, as they were going to land into the waters, ripcord muscles snapped Akane into the air again. Akane screamed for just a moment and then impacted into a group of sailors, sending the four of them tumbling.

Thom was about to start to negotiate for their passage down river, when a shrieking girl landed on some of the sailors. "Well, it looks like some of our friends made it any ways," Thom said to no one in particular.

"Ranma!" Akane cried out as she stood up. He left leg nearly gave out, as it spasmed in pain. She hobbled to the edge and looked out the dark waters.

"I'm sorry, lass. But we can't turn around to pick him up. I'm not going to threaten the safety of my ship for anyone," Bayle Domon said, glaring at the watchman.

"But, he's right out there. Can't you just stop for just a second?" Akane asked, grabbing the front of his jerkin.

"No. Like I was telling Master Thom, we are not getting any closer to the shore. And we are waiting for nobody."

"But..."

"Stupid tomboy. Unlike you, I can swim. This tub wasn't going that fast," a very wet and very bedraggled looking Ranma said as she dragged herself over the side of the ship. Akane enfolded the red haired girl into a strong hug that would shame most pythons.

Bayle looked on in surprise. "How did you get on my ship, anyways?" he said as he glared at Akane for some sort of explanation.

"Um, Ranm... Ranko threw me onto the ship." That sounded lame even to Akane.

The captain looked over at the bank, which was quite far away. "She would have to be as strong as ten men."

"Um, I jumped first! And then threw her." Ranma put her best 'I'm only a cute little girl' act on.

"Oh, sure. That explains it perfectly." He continued to glare at the two girls. "I don't trust these two. Throw them over board. I'll not have them on my ship for a moment longer."

His sailors tried. They really did. And even Bayle couldn't fault them as they were overwhelmed by the very fast blur that was Ranma. In a few moments, they were all groaning heaps on the deck. Bayle pulled his dagger and prepared to sell his life dearly.

"Done yet? They really weren't much of a challenge." Ranma pinned the captain with a glare that spoke volumes of the pain the girl could inflict.

"Ah, perhaps I misspoke. You still have to pay, though. Even if it is just working on my ship, the Sea Spray."

Thom stepped up. "Could I have just a moment of privacy?" The captain grunted noncommittally. Thom dragged the three youngsters off to the side. "No funny stuff. How much money do you children have? I'd much rather smooth things over, than have to sleep with one eye open the entire way to Whitebridge."

Rand pulled out his silver coin with reluctance, while Akane pulled out a few coins and a few pieces of brightly colored paper. Thom arched an eyebrow at that and examined the coins she put into the pile. They didn't look like silver or even any metal that he recognized.

"Uh, do you got something to put this in?" Ranma asked. Thom stared blankly. "I've got a whole pile of coins." She showed him a large handful of odd coins.

"Huh? Where did you get that, Ranma?" Akane asked.

"It's just the coins that I keep taking away from Ms. Hinako. Crazy ki sucking vampire," Ranma mumbled the last to herself.

"Oh, those aren't worth very much."

"Let me see." Thom examined the coins closely. They were finely crafted, but also not made of silver or even copper. They had a hole in the middle of them. He took a few, plus a couple of his own and Akane's coins. He walked over to the captain and spoke with him for a few minutes. Rand managed to retrieve his silver coin, feeling much relieved when he did, for some odd reason.

He sauntered over, with a grin on his face. "We were very lucky. It seems our captain is something of a collector and took a shine to your odd coins. We have passage down river to Whitebridge. Now listen closely. I told him that Rand and Mat are my apprentices and that you two are traveling female warriors from a land far to the east. We met up in Baerlon and decided to travel together. We were attacked by those Trollocs, but we have no idea about Aes Sedai or Warders." Thom paused expectantly. "Are we clear?"

The three kids nodded. Rand went over to Mat and checked on him again. He was still unconscious, but alive. Rand grimaced to himself. It was just coincidence that the boom just happened to knock them all back on to the ship.

It had to be.

* * *

The morning light finally brightened, revealing Moiraine to be sitting on her horse watching the light as it played across the river. Lan sat stoically behind her. "We are lucky. All of the boys are still alive. Two of them are headed down the river, while one has managed to cross over."

"Which do you want to follow?" Lan asked.

"The boy across the river, I think. He is alone and would be in the greatest danger. The two on the river have managed to get passage. How I don't know, but they are safer than a lone lad in the wilderness. I can track them all easily enough."

"Very well. How to cross the river? It is swollen and quite cold."

"I will deal with that. We have other matters to handle. You may come out now, Nynaeve."

Lan jerked and then turned himself slowly in the direction that Moiraine indicated.

Nynaeve cursed under her breath. How much of that was for her benefit? Obviously, Moiraine had known she was there the entire time. This wasn't turning out to be a very good day at all. "Moiraine Sedai." Nynaeve scrambled out of her concealment.

* * *

Ranma awoke again in a strange place. A sense of ominous foreboding permeated the air. She felt her hackles rise.

"You again! How is it that you can be here? This place is not crafted to snare you, impetuous one. I see that I shall have to destroy you utterly. The Dark One will not be stopped by children such as you."

"Look, idiot. I don't know who you think you are, but you don't scare me. I've faced things much worse than you and defeated them." Ranma set herself in a classic martial artist defensive posture.

"Do you truly think so? I am Ba'alzamon! I am the right had of the Dark One. And you, you are nothing!"

"You're wrong. I'm the best martial artist there is, creep. And nothing you can do is going to scare me!"

"The fighting arts? You will need far more power than that, whelp." Lightning crackled, growing into an orange corona, filling the strange pathway that they were on. With a gesture, Ba'alzamon unleashed a burst of energy at Ranma.

Ranma, of course, wasn't there. With a speed borne of an insane training regimen, she was far gone. She ducked and leaped, bringing her ever closer to the enraged creature of darkness.

"Who are you?! What sort of aberration of the pattern are you?" Ba'alzamon shrieked. He pulled out his sword and prepared to skewer this gnat like the insignificant bug it was.

"I'm Ranma Saotome and don't you forget it," Ranma yelled out as she struck at her full speed. Her fists blurred, her whole body seemed to disappear at will. Ba'alzamon staggered and then collapsed.

Ranma had just a moment to take in the incredible vista, before it faded out. She was left with the impression of floating mountains and paths that hung in the air and terrible oppressive evil.

* * *

Ranma awoke to sunlight shining in her face. An odd dream, that's all it was. It was just an odd dream. She decided to worry about it later. Maybe tomorrow.

She grimaced in disgust as she took in her gender this morning. Ranma was still a bit upset at having to pretend that she was a girl. These last couple of days had been hard. Akane no longer limped. Mat had also recovered and had a nasty headache. But other than that, he was back to normal, if a little sullen.

Ranma rolled out of her bed cloak and looked around. It was finally warming up, she could see. It looked like it was going to be a pretty spring morning. The cook was finishing up what he called food.

"Wake up, Rand. It's time to practice," Ranma called out. She nudged the pile of cloth that was Rand. A groan answered her command. "An extra bruise for every minute your late, lazy bones."

Rand heard the threat and decided to wake up. It really wasn't worth the extra bruising to sleep in a little. "Coming, coming. Light, don't you ever sleep in?" Rand called out.

"The path of a true martial artist is fraught with peril. Come on, this has saved your life a couple of times already. And besides, we aren't going to have any time to ourselves if we don't hurry."

"Right, right." Soon they were both on the only open spot of the deck. A few of the sailors were lounging around. After the first morning, they had an audience for each practice.

Ranma tossed Rand what appeared to be a practice weapon to him. It seemed to be made of sticks, a string, little bits of leather and cloth. "What's this?"

Ranma grinned and threw him a sunny smile. "You're getting good enough that you need to use a practice sword on me. I'm going to have you practice actually hitting something today. Can't have you cutting up your teacher in practice."

"Don't most people start with a practice sword?" Rand asked, hefting it to get the feel and weight of his new sword. It felt odd and unnatural.

"Yeah. And it gives you a whole bunch of bad habits that have to be broken. I bet you noticed that your new sword doesn't feel like your real one, didn't you?"

"Yes. I think I've got the idea, I'm going to use both. One so I have the feeling of a real sword and one to learn how to do those maneuvers that you were talking about. Then back to the real sword to practice them."

"Correct. READY!"

* * *

Akane woke finally and crawled out up to watch Ranma teaching Rand how to use the sword. She watched, seeing if there was anything that she could add to her own style. She started to limber herself up in preparation for her own practice.

She was grabbed from behind, her arm being twisted behind her cruelly. A pivot and an elbow smash freed her. Akane spun lightly, taking in the face of her attacker. His snarl promised pain. He pulled out a dagger and charged her. His wild swings were easily ducked and evaded.

A grin grew on her face. Was this what Ranma felt like when he totally outclassed an opponent? She drew him out into the center of the deck. The sailor was almost red in the face because of his lack of success from each slash.

She gave him just a second more and then took away his dagger. Three punches and a fancy spin kick later, the man was laying on the ground, unconscious. All of the other sailors started to hoot and holler, calling the fallen Floran Gelb unkindly names.

Ranma called out from the sidelines, "Not too bad, tomboy. What was that all about?"

"I don't know, he just grabbed me from behind," Akane replied. She shrugged in confusion.

An ugly expression blinked across Ranma's face and then the girl disappeared in a blur. Ranma smashed Floran into the door that led below decks. She held him there with one hand, upside down and with the other slapped him awake. The snickers from the sailors died down almost instantly. The girl really did have the strength of ten men!

Gelb woke up feeling pain and disorientation. Mere inches away from him a red haired goddess of death held his gaze. "Listen up, sleaze ball. Touch Akane again and you won't be able to ever walk again. Got it?" Ranma said in a voice that dripped liquid helium.

Gelb nodded frantically. With a casual seeming gesture, Ranma tossed the hapless sailor over her shoulder.

Bayle Domon came up on deck and roared out, "What is going on here?" He looked at the three children that were on his deck.

Rand pointed at the scrabbling sailor. "Gelb attacked Akane. He was going after her with a dagger. She took it away, then knocked him out." A few of the sailors nodded their agreement.

"Gelb's still upset at being caught sleeping on guard duty," one of the sailors offered. Gelb shot him a look that promised painful retribution.

"And being landed on!" another sailor hollered out.

"Aye, is that true, Gelb? Going after a girl with a dagger? They are paying passengers and will be treated as such. I'll not have the likes of you on my ship. Mark my words; you'll not be on my ship one moment longer than it takes us to get to Whitebridge." Especially ones with such ancient coins in such good shape.

The crew nodded in agreement. A grudging respect had grown in them from watching the morning practice. Most of them were convinced that Ranma was a blade master who had taken Rand in under her wing to teach him the rudiments of the sword craft. She had also won them over with her fierce protectiveness of Akane. A couple of them went further, with the comments that they were that sort of a couple. But only when they knew for sure where the two were.

Gelb shot a nasty glare at Ranma, but did nothing. He scooted below decks like a bug.

* * *

Rand was sitting up in the crows nest, watching the river go by. Those statues a few hours ago had been very impressive. What was he doing out here? It seemed like such a long time ago, when he was just the son of a farmer, eking out an existence in the West Woods. He was also a bit disturbed by the dreams that had become an almost nightly occurrence. But the dream last night had been significant in a different way.

Rand had seen Ranma there, fighting Ba'alzamon. And when she defeated him, the dream had faded and Rand had actually gotten a decent night of sleep. Rand had talked to Mat about it and they both agreed on that.

Now Rand was disturbed. Ranma might be having the same sort of dreams. The same sort of dreams that Rand, Mat and Perrin had had. The same dreams as the boys who were being hunted by the Dark One. Moiraine had been very specific. The Dark One wanted them for some reason. And now it seemed like he also wanted one sex changing martial artist.

Rand could admit that he was terrified. Ba'alzamon had called him the Dragon. And told him that he was doomed. But he had said that of all of the boys. Should he tell Ranma?

Suddenly, worry seemed to be the farthest thing from his mind. The light shown with such a crisp clearness, that Rand laughed aloud in joy. He jumped to his feet and started to caper across the upper boom. His feet slapped the wood confidently, movements sure and steady. It appeared to be a dance, strange and foreign. He spun and kicked, in an amazing display of balance.

All of a sudden he was incredibly tired. With heavy movements, he climbed down to the deck, his hands shaking.

"Light lad! You near gave me a heart attack. What were you thinking, laughing and going on like that? I thought you were going to fall for sure," Thom called out. He seemed to be pale and worried, almost the color of his hair.

"I don't know."

"Where did you learn to do that?" Ranma asked through clenched teeth. That wasn't possible.

"Uh, I just kind of did it. I really don't feel so well."

"You don't understand, Rand. That's a kata, a practice form for the Saotome School of Anything Goes Martial Arts. Even Akane doesn't know that one."

"I don't know. It just seemed to be the easiest thing in the world to do," Rand replied. Ranma was only training him in the sword. She had only given him basics of unarmed training.

Akane nodded. "Ranko's right. I've seen her do that in the past."

"It's a very basic kata. It's something that my father created for me when I was eight."

"I'm sorry, I just don't know."

Rand walked slowly below deck, thoughts of talking to Ranma about dreams driven from his mind.

* * *

"I don't get it, Akane. He was doing it like he was well practiced. Heck, even my dad didn't do it as easily as Rand did."

"I don't know why, Ranko. But he doesn't seem to know either."

Ranma pushed her hair out of her eyes. The light seemed to be very vivid and sharp. It seemed to be quite warm all of a sudden. She unbuttoned her shirt a little bit, trying to cool down.

Akane shivered a little bit. It had warmed up for a little while this morning, but had gone back to being bitterly cold. She looked at Ranma in confusion. What was she doing?

Ranma decided that it was very cold all of a sudden. She wrapped her cloak around her and hunkered down lower, trying to get out of the wind.

"Ranko, are you all right?" Akane asked. She kneeled in front of Ranma, trying to look at her. Ranma seemed to be very pale, but sweating at the same time. Akane touched her hand to Ranma's forehead and felt the heat radiating off of her. "Come on, let's get you to bed. You feel like you have a fever."

"Don't get sick," Ranma mumbled.

"Oh, quiet."

Akane bundled her significant other to bed and then wrapped her in her cloak. Ranma seemed determined to throw the cloak off. After the third time, Akane put her own cloak on top. That did seem to help a bit. Akane shivered a bit herself. It had gotten cold again. She glanced around and then carefully crawled into the bunk with Ranma. Her cheeks were blushing in embarrassment.

The things she did for Ranma sometimes.


	2. Chapter 2

**Weaves of the Dragon ** **Part II **

Tatewaki Kuno strode down the streets of Nerima as if he commanded them. He was a man bent on a mission decreed by heaven itself. The fiend Saotome had abducted the fair Akane Tendo. And the pig-tailed girl had also disappeared. It all must lie at his treacherous feet.

And so he walked with the grace and poise of true nobility towards the home of Akane Tendo. The hated Nabiki Tendo had informed him that the Amazon were attempting to rescue Saotome, but might leave Akane wherever Saotome had spirited her. Using beguiling speech, she had told him that no one but he could be certain to make sure that Akane was also rescued.

Tatewaki Kuno laughed, scaring the ignorant peasants around him. Yes, he would rescue Akane Tendo and the pig-tailed girl. But he would leave Saotome to rot in whatever prison he had concocted for their tortures. It would be a most fitting end to his most hated foe. His new sword was just in case he needed to deal with Ranma Saotome personally.

Kodachi Kuno followed from a distance, on the roofs, as was her wont. "Oh, dearest brother," she said with great venom, "I shall make sure that my darling Ranma is rescued and that witch Akane Tendo is never seen from again. I can see the subtle manipulations of the mercenary Nabiki Tendo. She is using you. I must save him!"

* * *

Nabiki sipped at her tea and looked at the clock one more time. Cologne had called to say they would be here later in the afternoon. It was probably going to be some sort of demand, that if she rescued Ranma and Akane, that Shampoo's claim of marriage be given the preeminence.

She snorted to herself. All she wanted was her sister back. If that was what it took, then so be it. But it was always useful to have an ace up her sleeves, so to speak. She hadn't been able to get a hold of Ryoga. But Ukyo and the Kuno's would both be here soon. Nabiki smiled to herself. She was sure that Cologne would show early and make her demands. She was going to throw a wrench in her plans by having extra players in the game.

Someone knocked at the front door. Automatically, Kasumi stood up to answer it. "Why hello, Cologne. Shampoo, Mousse. Welcome to our home!" Kasumi exclaimed brightly.

Nabiki tallied the time and how long it would take Kuno and Kodachi to get here. Perfect.

Cologne hopped into the living room and looked around. "Ah, the elders of the Saotome clan are here. We must have words, before I send Shampoo to rescue her husband."

Ukyo sniffed. "Oh, this is the part where you demand that Ranma marry Shampoo, or you won't use the 'ancient Amazon treasure' to rescue him."

Cologne glared at the impertinent girl and turned to receive very harsh glares from Nodoka, Genma and Soun. This could be harder than she thought, she realized glumly.

"Ranma must marry to continue the dojo! The Tendo's claim is preeminent!" Soun shouted, his face distorting into a hideous demonic mask and seemingly growing to an alarming size. His tongue lashed the air, causing Shampoo to jump back protectively, clutching at something around her neck.

Even Mousse stepped back. He had no idea that the Tendo Patriarch had such a devastating technique in his repertoire! It was just blunted enough by his bad sight that he was able to step in between Soun and Shampoo.

"Ho ho ho ho ho! So that is where it is!" Kodachi cackled, snapping her ribbon at the unprepared Shampoo. Nabiki smiled in the background. Perfect timing, again.

Cologne was caught up in Soun's attack and it took a moment for the words to reach her consciousness. "Stop her you fools! That is irreplaceable and the only hope of bringing Son-in-law back!"

Kodachi cackled gleefully. "Do you mean this little trinket? I think I will keep it and rescue my darling Ranma for myself!" Shampoo clutched at her neck reflexively. It was gone!

"Nay, not so long as I have breath, demented sister. I, Tatewaki Kuno, shall rescue my beloved Akane Tendo and the pig-tailed girl. And banish the wretched Saotome to the darkest pits of hell!" Tatewaki yelled out, charging his sister from the open door.

Maybe this was just a little too much, Nabiki thought to herself.

"Don't break! Necklace very fragile!" Shampoo yelled out. She charged toward the psychotic gymnast. She was back peddling frantically from Kuno's sudden multi-strike attack with a real sword.

"None but myself must have the necklace! Get thee hither, treacherous Amazon!" Kuno yelled out. His eyes were alight with the fires of determination.

Shampoo managed to avoid the worst of it, but got tangled up with Mousse and Cologne and a slash across her cheek.

Suddenly, Nodoka was standing next to Kodachi, her hand out. "Please, give it to me. Let me bring back my son, my manly son." The emotion that filled her voice pulled at Kodachi's heartstrings.

Kodachi nodded slowly, the pain of losing her own mother suddenly vivid in her mind. Slowly, she handed the amulet to Nodoka.

"NEVER!" Tatewaki Kuno yelled out. The chance that Ranma Saotome might be returned pushed him beyond reasoning. He was the best again! There was no one to ridicule him and call him fool. He struck with his entire being. Never a faster blow would he strike again. The amulet exploded into shards from the hit.

The three who had come into contact with the amulet, their thoughts and hearts focused on one individual (in whatever form), controlled the raw magic that was released. A blinding burst of light filled the room, stunning all who were present.

When the light cleared, now another three had disappeared.

"Oh my!" Nabiki said eloquently.

Kasumi blinked at her younger sister.

* * *

Ranma returned to consciousness slowly. She seemed to be snuggled up to something warm and fragrant. Slowly her eyes took in the sleeping face in front of her. Her mind was muddled, but she did remember the changes in their relationship. Akane loved Ranma and that was all that was important.

Slowly, Ranma kissed Akane. Akane's eyes opened in alarm for just a moment and then relaxed. This was new territory, but she recognized Ranma in the darkness. He must be feeling better. And, oh Gods, it felt so good. Ranma loved her. Not Ukyo, not Shampoo, nor even any other girl. Ranma Saotome loved Akane Tendo and wanted to marry her. She deepened the kiss even further, as her hands started slide up and down Ranma's back. It slowly seeped into her mind that something was wrong.

Akane broke the kiss suddenly. "Ranma," she hissed quietly, "you're a girl. What do you think you are doing?" Old reflexes took over for just a second.

Ranma patted herself, accidentally brushing up against Akane's bosom. "I'm sorry, I didn't check when I woke up. I just really missed cuddling."

That accidental touch had done nothing to stem the feelings in Akane. She took a deep breath and then answered Ranma, "That, that's all right Ranma. I missed cuddling too. We don't have to quit, if you really don't want to."

"B-but I'm a girl right now!" Ranma whispered loudly.

"Shush." Akane took a breath and then continued more quietly, "You're Ranma, that's all that is important. A-a-and I haven't cared about your curse in a long time." Well, except for the fact that 'she' looked better than herself. She had always known that it was possible that Ranma might never be cured. And might even be locked into her cursed form again.

Indecision warred on Ranma's face and in her heart. "Are you sure?"

Akane answered the gender confused individual with a long and passionate kiss. Slowly, Ranma started to respond. She might be confused by her change, but that didn't change her desires for Akane. If it was all right with Akane, then it had to be fine. Didn't it?

Tears were released from fears that had proven to be founded on fears alone. Ranma held herself close to the girl that she loved. The girl that had just proved that it didn't matter what form she took, she would love her no matter what.

* * *

Nodoka groaned and lifted her head from the cold soil. She blinked painfully, hearing the gurgling of water nearby. She took in the shore and the two individuals that were near her. Slowly, she raised herself up and finally stood up.

She glared at the young man who had caused the predicament. She nudged him awake with her foot. "Wake up!"

Tatewaki Kuno stirred himself awake and blinked at the older lady who was looking at him in displeasure. She bore a striking resemblance to his pig tailed love.

Nodoka turned away and walked over to where the leotard wearing girl lay on the ground. She seemed to be very pale and was cold to the touch. Nodoka leaned over to her and shook her awake.

Kodachi blearily opened her eyes and took in the view of Ranma's mother looking at her, worry evident on her continence. "What happened?" Kodachi managed to get out.

"I'm not certain. We are definitely not at the Tendo Dojo anymore. What was the last thing you remember?"

"My idiotic brother smashing the necklace. Where are we?" she asked shakily.

"We appear to be in the wilderness, next to a very large river. I think it is dawn, so we seem to be on west bank, I would guess."

"Hark, we must have been sent to the same lands as the accursed Saotome!" Kuno shouted as he levered himself to his feet. "The Vengeance of Heaven is surely come upon him!"

"So where are they?" Kodachi asked, looking around.

"Young man, I am a Saotome! I would ask that you treat me with the respect of your elder." Nodoka glared at the rude boy.

"Pardon, my fair lady. I shall give you that courtesy, even though I know you to be the mother of the wretched Ranma Saotome," Kuno said as he sheathed his sword.

"'Wretched Saotome?' And what did my son do to deserve to be called so?" Nodoka asked. She was wondering if he had learned more of Genma's bad manners than she had been told.

"He has ensorcelled the fair Akane Tendo and bewitched the pig tailed girl."

"I was not aware that Ranma knew of any magic." Nodoka arched her left eyebrow at the raving Kuno.

"Aye, for how else could he keep the fierce and independent Akane under his beguilements? And how else could he be of one heart, one body with the pig tailed girl?" Kuno said smugly.

Kodachi glared at her ranting brother. Even she knew that the pig tailed girl hated her brother with a passion. One easily understood. "Nay, brother. I think you can not admit that they both spurn you and would do almost anything to be rid of you."

Nodoka looked over at the girl. "So this 'pig tailed' girl has spurned him?" One relief in this strange conversation.

"Oh, yes. You can see the revulsion on her face. I might hate her for defeating me and laying low my honor, but even I wouldn't curse her with my brother. Uh, to be related to her even so sends shivers up my spine. She must not pollute the proud heritage of the Kuno clan."

"That won't happen. I can guarantee that she will never marry that young man." Nodoka said absently. She looked at the poor chilled girl. She looked very cold.

"Guarantee? Why is that?" Kodachi said, gritting her teeth from the cold. She shivered strongly all of a sudden.

"Why, the pig tailed girl is Ranma, of course. Don't you know about his curse? And it would not be very manly of my son to marry _him _as a _girl_," Nodoka said primly. Something would have to be done to warm her up. Luckily, Nodoka was wearing a spare layer with her kimono.

She fixed a glare at Tatewaki and told him, "Turn around, young man!"

Tatewaki and Kodachi gaped in astonishment. "What do you mean?" Kuno managed to get out.

Nodoka blinked. "Ranma has a curse that turns him into a girl." Was he really that dense? Even she had eventually figured out Ranma's curse by herself. Ranma had a very large interest in making sure that she had not found out about the curse.

Kodachi blinked. That would explain a few things that had always confused her. Especially why 'she' would have used her darling Ranma's name in the tournament from so long ago. So it hadn't been a hallucination that time in her house. She'd always worried that she was starting to slip, seeing her one true love turn into that harridan. A curse, hmm?

"Lies! His foul sorcery has clouded your mind also! I would not have thought him capable of using such magic on his own mother, but I see that his evil know no bounds!"

Kodachi looked at Nodoka closely. She even looked somewhat like the pigtailed girl. She started to laugh loudly, "Hahahaha, oh hohohohoho. Oh, how humorous. I can see it, now that it has been explained. How very silly of me." She covered her mouth decorously.

"What, surely you do not buy into this insane musing of the heathens mother?" Kuno asked in surprise.

"It does fit with what I remember and know. I've hated the man I love, as the woman who defeated me. What delicious, bitter humor."

"I will not stand here and listen to your lies anymore." Kuno stalked off in a huff.

Nodoka shook her head. She reached for her sash and undid her outer layer of her kimono. "Here, take this. It should keep you a bit warmer."

"Why, thank you, Mrs. Saotome. Please forgive my boorish brother. He lives in his own little world. I fear that it is a failing of all in the Kuno clan."

"You seem like a nice enough young lady." Nodoka smiled and thought; such a pretty thing too.

"Ah, if only my darling Ranma believed so. But I fear he finds no attraction to me."

"Surely my son is attracted to such a beautiful girl such as you?" Nodoka frowned.

"Such a man is he, that he swept me off of my feet and took my heart. I've pined only for him in my dreams. But he has eyes only for another. And I have no candle to hold against his love, that is a bonfire for her. But yet I dream of a day that he might smile for me, that I may be the one that lights his eyes up."

Nodoka smiled. "You are talking about Akane, aren't you?"

Reluctantly, she replied, "Yes. I do not understand why he does not love me. After all, I am the more comely lass, the richer and the more gently raised, as are all who are of nobility. But still his eyes only turn for that peasant."

"But he has to marry her, for the honor of the Saotome clan and the Tendo clan. But don't fret, dear girl. There may yet be hope. For if he is truly manly, he is too much of a man for any one girl."

Kodachi blinked and then smiled shyly. Maybe Ranma's mother was right. And having someone like his mother on her side? Well, that would be lovely!

* * *

Egwene looked around, as she rode stable old Bela down the shallow valley. It had been hard going these last few days. Food was scarce and they had seen not a sign of habitation. They turned a corner around some bushes and the smell of food cooking wafted to their noses.

Perrin nodded a second and then turned to Egwene. "I'll go take a look. Maybe they'll spare us some food."

Egwene nodded and slid off of the saddle.

She was waiting just a moment, when she heard the sounds of horses coming up the path behind her. She looked around in panic for just a moment, until she spotted familiar figures perched on the horses.

"Nynaeve! Moiraine!" Egwene called out. Perrin turned around and trotted back

Moiraine smiled and waved. Just as she had suspected. The young girl was up here with the lone boy. "So, do you have any doubts, Nynaeve?"

Nynaeve gnashed her teeth. "No. It doesn't matter. I'll never be a filthy Aes Sedai like you."

"You will never have the strength to defeat me, unless you too go to Tar Valon. Besides, you must admit that you knew that was going to be Egwene before we saw her?"

"Yes. Damn you. Yes."

"Charming reunion. A Warder, an Aes Sedai and young children alone out in the wilderness." This gruff voice came from the side, where a figure stood in the small concealment of the bushes.

Lan's hand flashed to his sword, stopped only by his view of the creatures that had surrounded them. Wolves and how many of them.

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't kill you all. Especially you, Aes Sedai." The strange and bearded man looked them over as you would a side of beef.

"We are no threat to you and mean no harm," Moiraine said calmly.

His eyes flashed a strange gold. "Of course not. Are you going to drag me off to be stilled, because I am different?" the man said quietly, mockingly. The hint of menace in his voice was clear.

"I am not of the Red Ajah. And who would you be? And why would you fear stilling?" Moiraine asked calmly.

"What Ajah are you?" the man said suspiciously.

"I am of the Blue Ajah."

"You have come a very far distance to hunt children, Aes Sedai of the Blue Ajah. Meddler of fate."

"I seek to thwart the Dark One's design."

The man started suddenly. "Really? And these children are that important?"

Carefully, she nodded. "Yes."

"And my stopping you would make me a friend to the Dark Ones minions, wouldn't it?" A curt nod was her only response. "I am Elyas." Lan started suddenly, looking the man over closely. "I see that you recognize me, Lan."

"Indeed. It has been a long time since the name Elyas has been heard. An honorable man, from what I remember."

"And what are you called, Aes Sedai?"

"I am known as Moiraine Sedai." She casually pulled her cloak to ward off the cold chill. "The name of Elyas is also known to me. A man who thinks of himself as Wolfbrother and who hunts with wolves."

"And you aren't wishing to geld me? I am impressed," Elyas said dryly.

"I care nothing, except for the safety of the boy and the girl."

"Really? Then we seem to be at an impasse. I have the strength of my friends, but you are unrestricted in the use of the One Power. How shall we avoid this conflict?"

"You were a Warder, at one time, Elyas. You know that the evil we fight must not win," Moiraine said softly.

A flash of anger ran through Elyas. "You butchered Jilian, because you were afraid of me. Because you were afraid of what changed me!"

"Not I. The Red Ajah was behind that." Moiraine's face was calm and collected.

"You could have stopped them!"

"No, that was impossible. The Red Ajah is very strong. Now especially, with all of the False Dragons. We live in momentous times, Elyas Wolfbrother," Moiraine said casually, maintaining her haughty non-expression. She was a bit distracted, trying to consider how to get to the other boys who were still on the river.

"Soon you will be saying that the Dragon has been reborn. Tell me that he has not been reborn, Aes Sedai," Elyas said mockingly. The pain coated his acrid words.

Moiraine stood still for a very long moment. She wrestled with how best to not say something. She had not been prepared to foil that particular question right then.

She paused just a moment too long, for the man jumped to a staggering conclusion.

"Tell me plainly it is not so, Aes Sedai!" he shouted. Fear laced his angry words. Fear that he might have tumbled to the truth.

Another pregnant pause and she then replied softly. Damnation. If she did not answer, the truth would be known any ways. So she would tell the truth then, if they could bear it. "I can not." The truth, even if they couldn't.

Nynaeve sucked in a sharp breath. Light defend us. Aes Sedai can not lie. They can not!

"Light!" Elyas said softly. The wolves around him started to howl.

The cold chill of the frost seemed to settle in Nynaeve's bones. That was what an Aes Sedai and the Dark One were hunting in drab little Edmonds Field.

The Dragon! The Dragon Reborn! It truly was the end of the world!

* * *

Rand shivered, as he awoke in the cold morning. They were supposed to be getting to Whitebridge today, or tomorrow early. And for once, he had actually awoken before his new 'sensei'. Ranma and her fiancée had been a lot more comfortable with each other for the past few days. He frowned at that. They had been sharing their bed roll again each night; obviously something was going on there.

But, he noted to himself, nothing too much. He blushed as he realized that he himself had only kissed Egwene once or twice. And they were probably more intimate than that already.

"Up and at 'em, you guys!" Ranma said cheerfully.

Rand looked over at the red headed girl. It was hard to see her as a guy, until she opened her mouth. If she didn't have such a girlish figure, you wouldn't even notice her cursed form.

Mat cursed from his corner. Once he had gotten better, Ranma had drilled him mercilessly to catch him up to Rand's level. He had not liked it one bit and become a bit surly about the whole thing. Ranma had ignored his attitude entirely.

Soon all four of them were on the deck in the early morning light. Akane watched from her the front of the ship, while Ranma went over the mornings lesson with the two. Ranma was a tireless taskmistress, but very exacting and seemed never pleased enough with their progress. She had them practicing against each other today, while distracting them with small pellets or rocks.

This went for about an hour, until Ranma blinked in surprise at Akane. She had been in a meditative lotus position for the entire time, staring at her open palms. Suddenly, a flicker grew around her for a few seconds and then quit just as suddenly.

Rand and Mat looked at Ranma in surprise at the sudden stop in distractions. "Ranko? Are you alright?" Mat asked.

"Ah, yeah. Akane just surprised me is all."

"What the great Ranko, surprised by me?" Akane said sweetly.

"Hey! It ain't my fault you're so uncute that you stop traffic at fifty feet!" Ranma put her hands on her hips.

"What did you say, Ranko? Would you care to repeat that?" Akane bounded to her feet. She put her hands up in a ready position.

"Ha. You heard me! Besides, I'm not scared of you!" Ranma was interrupted by a sailor's shout.

"Whitebridge! Whitebridge ahoy!" the sailor in the crows nest called out. He was shading his eyes and looking down the river. The captain would be pleased.

Ranma leaned over the side of the ship, but didn't see anything. With a bound, the girl leaped to the crows nest and shaded her own eyes to get the best view. "What's that going across the river?" Ranma asked the sailor on watch.

Akane fumed for just a second and then went back to her studies. She'd show Ranma. Once she figured out how to Channel, Ranma would sing a different tune!

The sailor started at the unexpected question. Wasn't she down on deck just a moment ago? "That's Whitebridge. It's been standing there for over a thousand years."

"And they haven't replaced it? That's pretty good!"

"Replace it? Its unbreakable, girl. It'll stand until the end of time."

"You're kidding, right?"

"No, I'm not! It is truly unbreakable. Nobody could destroy it, even if they wanted to. It's from the Age of Legends, when such things were common. It's thousands of years old and it has nary a scratch."

"Wow."

Soon the ship docked at the quay. Domon then made his appearance on deck. "Floran Gelb, get you mangy hide up here. I said that you'd be off my ship at Whitebridge and I meant it. You can either walk or be thrown off. The choice is yours."

Gelb snarled impotently and then took a leap off to the dock. He was soon lost in the crowd.

Domon then turned to his passengers. "I still don't trust you five. I've done my job, now please leave my ship. I want no more to do with you and your strange ways."

Thom bowed and responded, "You have been most kind to unwanted people. Your crew was the height of civility."

"Whatever. You paid, so I did my job. That's enough."

And with that, they took leave of the ship 'Sea Spray'.

* * *

Nodoka walked at the side of the wagon, continually looking around as the wagon master had asked. She could hear Tatewaki Kuno on the far side, bemoaning the injustice of being a plebian guard, when he should be treated according to his rank. "Oh, the things that I must endure to free you, Akane Tendo." He had learned not to talk of the pigtailed girl around the matriarch of the Saotome clan.

Kodachi couldn't really do much more than drive the wagon (which she showed little aptitude at) and clean the dishes that the wagoneers made at each meal, because she had no shoes or boots. She was quite glad for the wagon though, as her feet were cut badly on the sharp rocks.

Nodoka fingered the hilt of her sword, glad that she had at least some small skill with the weapon. Tatewaki had impressed Madomia with his skill and so won them a job with the caravan.

Nodoka shivered to think what would have happened if they hadn't met up with these rough bitten men. At least they had some honor. They were traveling down this road, bringing finished metal goods from a city to the west. In perhaps a week or so, they would be at the caravan's destination, the city of Whitebridge. They rarely saw a farm on their lonely trek.

"Hold. What do you think, Belos?" Madomia asked. He peered ahead with his keen eyes.

"It could be bandits. I didn't think we would get this far without running into some."

"Kuno, go earn your meal and see if that is an ambush."

Kuno suppressed a snarl and started to walk towards the bushes that they suspected the ambush to come from. His right hand was rested easily on his sword, ready to draw it in a moment. He paused when he heard swearing.

From out of the bushes, a ragged band of men scrambled out, twenty in all. Kuno stood his ground calmly. Over half of them raised their crude bows at him, while the others targeted the well prepared caravan. With a resounding twang, they released their missiles.

With one clean stroke, directly from his sheath, Kuno blocked and cut every single arrow that was shot at him. With a suddenness that was shocking to the bandits, Kuno charged the lot of bandits all by himself.

They unleashed another volley, fired entirely at the errant swordsman, which was as easily dealt with as the first one. Kuno was then among them, a gray and blue blur, striking death wherever he stalked. One man managed to start running away before he had killed all of them.

Tatewaki Kuno nodded sagely at the sign of a true coward. He sheathed his sword after spinning it once to get rid of the blood. With his toe, he flipped a bow and the arrow that was laying on it into his waiting hands. Taking his time, he pulled back the western-style bow with his considerable strength, unleashing the arrow into the bandits back.

Dropping the bow, he walked back to the caravan. He took up his position on his side of the wagon. "Twas but a moments work. The way is clear," Kuno said with a strange gleam in his eyes. That was what battle was meant to be, not guns and tanks as from their era. Real blood and sweat!

Madomia didn't respond for a second. Licking his dry lips, he finally responded, "Very good. There will be an extra reward for you, when we get to Whitebridge."

Kuno inclined his head in acknowledgment.

* * *

Ranma stretched out, looking over the small city that they had just debarked off to. "Anybody up for some real food? I'm sick and tired of that slop that the Sea Spray served." It was even worse than what Akane made!

Rand grinned. He looked over to Thom to see what he wanted to do.

Thom grunted noncommittally. "It couldn't hurt. And one night in a real bed would be a blessing indeed."

Thom led the way. Off of the main road, he brought them to an inn. Letting their eyes adjust, they waited at the door to see what was inside. A large fireplace, well stoked, met their gaze and warded off the chill. A well polished bar was up against one wall with a stout man standing behind it. A man who brightened up immediately when he saw Thom was entering into the inn. His gaze only flickered to the others for just the briefest moments.

"Thom! You old dog! I haven't seen you in a Kings age, it feels like. Looking for a place to eat and spend the night?"

"As always, Petrim! I'll have to work for my room this time. I've fallen on to a bit of hard luck. And just after I took these two boys under my wing."

"Ah, another charity case? You too good for you own well being, you know that? Of course you can stay. Welcome to the Cheery Wick Inn!"

* * *

Ranma sighed in contentment. "That hit the spot." She pushed her plate away from herself.

Akane looked over at her for just a second. "That really wasn't that much food. Are you feeling all right?"

Ranma snorted. "I only eat that much at home because I can, Akane. You eat good when you can for the lean times. Now's the lean times."

Akane blinked. Somehow that seemed to be right. A nagging feeling impinged on the back of her consciousness.

Rand glanced at the door over Ranma's shoulder, a frown showing on his face. The door opened silently, a darkly cloaked figure back-lit by the bright sunshine. More figures could be seen behind it.

Ranma's neck hackles raised themselves. She spun around, knocking her chair out of the way. Her sword spun in an arc, knocking a thrown dagger out of the air and into the ceiling.

With a voice that sounded like crumbling marble, the figure said in the sudden awful silence, "Kill everyone but the boys." A black sword that dripped darkness appeared in its hand. With a startlingly surety, everyone at the table knew that the figure was a Fade.

"A Fade!" Thom yelled out, "Run! I'll hold it off!" Screams from the patrons filled the air, as they tried to leave the building by any means possible.

Ranma's face curled into a snarl. "Not in a million years!"

Windows shattered, as torches flew through them, flickering in the air. One unfortunate man was struck in the head. His hair caught fire and he started to scream. Other fires caught around the room.

Ranma caught a glimpse of bows being drawn back behind the Fade, by a group of hard looking men and women. They were pointed at the windows. "Follow me!" she yelled. And with that she charged the Myrddraal, blade flickering back and forth, trying to break its defenses.

Ranma had become quite attuned to her blade in the past weeks. It was almost an extension of her arm now. The creature found itself on the defensive and never once came close to attacking her effectively. Ranma smiled tightly. "Hah! Hah! Hah! Hah!" she yelled out suddenly, as her sword became a blur.

Nicks and cuts appeared all over the front of the Fade. It staggered and its guard dropped. In that moment, Ranma swung his sword around in a tight arc, twice. Once for its head and the second time for its sword arm, both of which fell to the ground with a thud.

After the short nasty fight, Ranma then charged out into the street. A handful of yen appeared in her free hand. With flicks of her wrists, each coin snapped a bow string. The Darkfriends were suddenly weaponless. There morale broken, they turned and fled.

"You stole Kuno's technique!" Akane said, disdain evident in her tone of voice.

"Um? So? Besides, I improved it!" Ranma shot right back.

"Don't you guys ever quit arguing?" Rand asked rhetorically.

"No!" they snapped at him, going back to their yelling match.

"You guys sound like you're already married," Matt said impishly.

"We do not!" they yelled out at the same time. They locked gazes with each other. Blushes crept over their faces. They suddenly became interested in anything but each other.

"There they are! The ones that brought the Dark One to Whitebridge!" A man shouted from down the road. A large crowd was swirling behind him. Makeshift weapons and the occasional sword could be seen.

An old man in the background suddenly yelled out, "Let's burn them! Purify them in the Light! We should get the Whitecloaks to come here!"

An angry undercurrent swelled beneath the surface of the mob.

"Um, guys? We might want to run." Ranma looked around nervously. The alley seemed to be the best bet to get out.

"Couldn't you take them easily?" Mat asked, his sharp nose twitching in Ranma's direction.

"There are enough of them that I wouldn't be able to stop them all while they killed you. Do you really want to die today?" Ranma glanced nervously at Akane.

"Why don't you just do a Hiryo Shotan Ha? That would take them all out," Akane asked perplexedly.

"Um, I didn't want to mention it, but my ki attacks aren't what they used to be. I don't understand it. It's like there's not enough power."

"So? Run!" Rand yelled out, following his own advice.

The ran and scurried through the darkness, trying to lose their pursuers. Thom called out to them softly, "Get to Caemlyn! Go to the Lion and the Stag! Don't worry about me, I'll be all right!" He disappeared into the shadows after thrusting his small bundle of belongings into Rand's waiting hands.

"Good riddance!" Mat said loudly.

"Oh, hush! Should we do what he said?" Rand asked Ranma.

"I guess. It's gonna be real tough to travel there if we got people on our tails the whole way there. Maybe Thom was gonna distract them or something."

"I hope so!" Akane said fervently. She turned and followed Rand down the road.

* * *

Moiraine sat easily on her saddle. Lan led the way through the plains towards Caemlyn. Her thoughts were wandering, at least to the other two boys. They had left the river and were heading north. She had changed their direction so that they would hopefully intercept them soon.

Behind her came Nyaeve, Perrin and Egwene kept to themselves. They had been traveling for the last few days through bleak plains that were slowly turning into barely rolling swells. The Tuatha'an encampment was far behind them.

Perrin was hunched as he walked along, thoroughly miserable. Only Moiraine had treated him the same, not letting him out of her sight for the time being. He almost always refused to ride Bela, even when offered by Egwene.

Though, he mused to himself, Nynaeve had seemed more preoccupied by something else rather than actively worried about the Dragon Reborn being one of their companions. He'd seen her looking off in the distance, thinking deep thoughts.

What did she know that he did not?

Moiraine's eyes drifted across the horizon, trying to spot Elyas Wolf-Brother and his wolves. Drat that man. Now there were five too many people that new that she hunted the Dragon. The two young women had agreed, reluctantly, to not tell anyone about why Moiraine was looking for these three boys in particular. Elyas had not, as she had suspected he would act. That left Perrin and Lan, of course. Lan was trustworthy, of course.

And Perrin? Perrin had his own reasons to keep quiet.

Poor Perrin. Moiraine thought as her eyes drifted to catch sight of him. He looked so miserable. His whole life had been turned upside down, under just the suspicion that he might be that one. The Dragon Reborn. None of his friends were willing to talk to him anymore, nor was he wanting to speak to them. She frowned as she saw him jerk and stare off in the distance.

Following his gaze, she saw a wolf, standing still and almost invisible. It seemed to be staring at the stocky man. The wolf suddenly stared at her with unnerving, golden eyes. In a moment, it disappeared, in an area where she would have sworn that only field mice hidden itself.

A while later, her eyes attention was grabbed by a fluttering figure, landing in a small black tree a ways off. A chill went up her back, as she realized that the tree was only black because of the crows that hung from it. Her eyes scanned the area alertly, seeing more signs of the Dark One's minions.

A subtle hand sign brought Lan to her side. "Crows by the score follow us. Be prepared to head out swiftly, on my command."

Lan nodded grimly. Normally, such birds would be nothing and would not dare follow those who served the light so fervently. But if the Dragon was reborn, all rolls of the dice could fall. Including that his servants would gather in great enough numbers to attack Tar Valon itself. His thoughts shifted for a second to the sharp-tongued Wisdom of Edmond's Field. He shook his head to clear the unusual distraction.

An hour later, even the least observant of their group had noted the flocks of black birds following them. They slowed at one point, to converse about their danger and what actions needed to be taken.

"Well, Aes Sedai, I would think such creatures would flee from you and you mighty powers," Nynaeve heckled as she flicked the reigns of her horse to the side, trying to hide her fear.

"I have no time for your silliness, Nynaeve. The most dangerous of the Dark One's minions are not _all_ humans. A rat or a crow can be infinitely more dangerous, when you least expect it." Moiraine's icy tones cut quicker than the chill wind.

Nynaeve jerked her ponytail nervously. She opened her mouth, but decided against saying anything. This was far too tangible of evidence of the Dark One's existence than she felt comfortable with.

Moiraine waited a moment and then continued on. "Lan and I shall do our best to protect you, of course. We are not far from a stedding." She pointed off in the distance. "No creature of the Dark One will dare to enter it, so that at least is a good thing. If I tell you to run, run you shall, on this course. Egwene, you shall ride with Lan. Stout Bela can carry Perrin easily, at least for that distance."

"I should stay, they want me! Not any of you," Perrin said vehemently.

"I shall not allow that, even over all of our dead bodies! If, and I say if, you are the Dragon, your life is more important than any king, queen or even the Amyerlin Seat herself. I will _not_ allow you to fall to him!"

Perrin's face went pale as it seemed he had been struck an under handed blow. He opened his mouth, but no words came out. He ducked his head in shame. This was such a terrible, terrible burden!

They stopped just a moment to put Perrin on Bela. Egwene was just getting on the saddle behind Lan, when the flapping of thousands of wings gave them their only warning. All of their eyes were drawn towards the blotches in the sky that were suddenly arrowing towards them.

"Run! Flee now!" Moiraine screamed out. She started to spin her staff, its tips igniting in the cold air. "Get them to safety, no matter the cost, Lan!"

Lan didn't give Perrin the time to argue, slapping Bela with the flat of his sword. Perrin let out a cry and grabbed at the reigns desperately. Soon all of them save Moiraine were galloping across the sloping lands, headed towards the vague promise of safety. An ominous cloud of dark birds grew behind them.

Moiraine's mind worked feverishly, trying to find some way to stop this insidious attack. And survive, she thought ruefully. Thunder off in the distance, under the cold, gray clouds grabbed her attention. Some sort of powerful weather attack?

Wait! Yes! Maybe! The crows were only seconds away, sharp claws and beaks moved in anticipation of rending soft flesh. The wind picked up around Moiraine, as she sat calmly on her horse. Brown grass fluttered and then was smashed flat as Moiraine became the center of a powerful vortex of hot and cold flows of Air, held together by tenuous weaves of Spirit.

Wider and wider it spun, as the spinning column of air rose higher and higher. Squawks of distress could be heard faintly over the roaring of the wind. The tornado struck the cloud of crows, smashing the hapless bird into each other, destroying the unity of their attack with an insane frenzied power that sent them flying away in fear.

Moiraine tried to break herself free of the flows of power desperately. It was growing too quickly, too strongly! With a cry of dread, she was pulled off her horse and flung into the air.

* * *

Perrin watched from the woods as the strange spinning cloud broke up broke up far in the distance. "What was that?"

"Eh?" Lan asked, as he was distracted from the scene by the question. "That was a tornado."

"Oh! I've heard of those. They can destroy whole villages and towns!" Egwene said with awe. "But I thought they were just stories!"

Lan stared at them for a moment. "Not just stories. But I've only heard of them in the flatlands."

"Lan, what about Moiraine?" Perrin asked suddenly.

"As soon as you are safe in the stedding, I will return with her. Come, the sooner we are off, the sooner I can be back to Moiraine." He could feel pain through their link, but pain was good, for it signaled that she was still alive. For how long tormented him.

Perrin opened his mouth to argue, when he felt a sudden foreboding, a pressure that pushed him forward. Almost as if he were guided by some other force, he turned and nodded.

Hours later, Lan suddenly turned to them. "We are here. Egwene and Perrin, you will stay here until we return."

"We?" Nynaeve asked.

"Yes, you will come with me. Moiraine is injured and needs your aid."

"How do you... Why should I help that witch?" she spat out scathingly.

"How uncharitable. I thought you were a Wisdom, not a child." Lan could have been talking about the weather for the blandness of his voice.

Nynaeve jerked as if slapped across her face. Her face held little expression as her mouthed moved, unable to form any words. "Fine," she said finally.

"Elyas Machera, I know you hold no love for the Aes Sedai. But this matter is far too important to hold old grudges against all of the Ajahs. Moiraine is of the blue, not the red. We must trust her in this matter." Lan's eyes stared intently into the wild man's golden eyes.

"I will do this... Until you return. I do this because of our old friendship. And because I too live in this time."

* * *

It had been three days since they had last seen Thom. Even with Ranma, Rand and Mat's hunting acumen, they had eaten only twice in that time.

Ranma's nose twitched. Was that cooking she smelled?

"That smells like stew," Mat said, drooling a little. Off in the distance, a large farmhouse lay nestled in a copse of trees. Several buildings, including a barn, lay clustered around the lands. A couple of small children could be seen playing with a large hound.

"Ain't going to be able to steal their stew. But I bet I can get a few chickens," Ranma said, her hunger layering her words heavily.

"But they've got dogs!" Rand protested. He'd been tempted himself, yesterday, to try his hand at thieving.

"Heh, just makes it more interesting. Look, you guys go ahead. I'll catch up in an hour or so."

"Ranma? Are you sure?" Akane asked quizzically.

"We need food." Ranma looked ashamed for a second. "This isn't the first time that I've done this. Pop hasn't always been able to earn our food. And since I was smaller, I was, uh, better at stealing stuff."

"I knew you weren't a saint, Ranma. Go ahead. We'll have a fire ready to cook the food." Akane hugged the slightly smaller girl, startling her.

Ranma seemed to follow a minute later, slipping into the shadows of the brush.

Ela shaded his eyes with a grizzled hand as he watched the latest band of people walking down the road. Just kids, he thought sadly. Desperate kids, he was sure.

Still, he'd had little luck feeding his own family in this thrice cursed weather. Planting while the ground was still frozen was insane, but what else could he do?

"Jaed? I think I'd better stay near the house," Ela said, nodding to his oldest son just a dozen feet away.

Jaed nodded back, having seen the strangers himself. "Go ahead, Pa. I'll be fine."

Ela trudged back to the house, taking a moment to scratch behind the ear of Yeaoden. "You children go on, get inside and help Granny cook lunch. Yeadon, git. Come on boy, we gotta watch for some more people."

He spent the next five minutes walking around the house and barn, looking carefully in between sheds for an intruder. Unfortunately, he had never run into someone like Ranma, or he would have checked his roofs too.

Ranma waited a long time carefully for the old man to go into the house. She cursed silently as he told the dog to guard and sent it off by itself. Agonizing minutes passed, when the dog finally passed out of sight. Her toes rustled the ground in front of the chicken pen. She squeezed into it and stopped.

"Damn. Only ten chickens?" Ranma muttered to herself. The chicken coop was built to handle far greater numbers. This farm was barely making ends meet. And from the comments that Rand and Mat had made, this was common. Winter wouldn't let go its icy grasp.

She grabbed the oldest and scrawniest rooster and three eggs.

Her head poked out for just a second, seeing the dog heading this direction. Using her native speed like her father had shown her against Kumon, she literally moved faster than the eye could follow. In just a few bounds, she was running down the road to catch up to the group.

* * *

Elyas Machera stared into the fire, two wolves on the edge of his consciousness. The two teenagers that shared the fire with him were characteristically quiet. It had been most of a day since Lan and Nynaeve had left to go back for Moiraine. The wolves snapped to attention. Elyas eyes were as riveted as theirs. "The fire! Put out the fire!"

He and Perrin scrambled to put out the fire, bumping a kettle to the side in their haste. The fire's light was lost into the oppressive darkness. Perrin could feel Hopper out there; feel his anger at the men on horses. "There are many men coming here!"

The man-wolf pulled out his dagger, snarling ferally. "Perrin, get Egwene out of here. Hopper and I will distract them."

Perrin grabbed the bridle of Bela and looked back to make sure that Egwene was following. For a long while, the scrambled around in the darkness, trying to keep moving away from the men. He could feel the wolves palpable hatred for them men and their horses. Their horses were harried and driven back, but always they could see torches far off in the distance, checking the area.

"Perrin!" Egwene called out softly.

"What?"

"Where are we going? Who are they?"

"I... don't know." Perrin paused, for once in the last few weeks too busy, too engrossed in the problems of the present to worry about the future. "They're getting closer." With that he turned and looked around, the world only a little dim from night light.

Egwene stared at the small points of torchlight in the distance. The darkness seemed to enclose her. How could Perrin see to get around in this dark night. "So, what will we do?"

"We'll hide in here," he declared.

"Where?" she asked, almost in a panic.

"In the hand of Artur Hawkwing," Perrin said as he smiled mirthlessly, leading Bela into the area under the gigantic fingers. He helped her down and situated themselves back, listening to the sounds of movement outside. He couldn't help but look out every once in a while, seeing the randomness of the torch movement.

On his fifth time, he frowned in thought. "They're going to find us soon!"

As if his words were a cue, a voice called out. "I told you I saw something!" Around a small hillock, as band of Whitecloaks appeared, Perrin's heart turned as if it into ice. He shifted his stance, his sweaty grip tightened on the cold haft of his ax.

"Come on out! Now!" barked the leader of the band of Whitecloaks. He waited a second and then finally ordered, "Bring them to me alive."

A snarl almost erupted from Perrin's throat, low and wolf-like. The man in front of him coolly carried his sword, unworried by the bared steel in his opponent's hands. He blocked the first dazzling blow, but didn't see that it was feint. The ax ripped a deep gouge into his stomach and then his throat.

The rest of the fight was a haze of red, his heartbeat thudding to unswayable rhythm of battle and death.

* * *

"I still think that this unseemly fear and terror be the work of thine infernal son," Kuno espoused to his sister and his hated enemy's mother. How strange it was to be traveling with her. And how strange her delusions, that Ranma Saotome and the pigtailed girl were one and the same, via some strange Chinese curse.

"Oh, hush, brother of mine. Mrs. Saotome, do you really think this dress suits me?" Kodachi asked. She spun around to show off the skirt, much to the delight of the inn's patrons.

"I despise you."

"Of course, dear. You are just a slight bit too pale to wear those dark colors that you seem to like. Soft yellows, reds and blues will make you look so much more alive." Nodoka didn't even deign to acknowledge Kuno, as she saw him to be quite rude.

"I'll take your word for it, of course."

"Ah, if only I could see my treasured loves again. Sweet, pure Akane and the healthy Pig-tailed Girl..." Kuno sighed in suppressed sadness.

"Pig-tailed girl?" one of the many patrons asked.

"Aye, short of stature, but healthy of figure. Her crimson hair be bound up in small ponytail oft referred to as a pigtail."

"We don't take with those sort of folk here. They brought the Dark One to Whitebridge!"

"Nay! She can not be of evil design! She may have fallen in with that nemesis of all that is good, but she herself is pure and unsullied. It is the duty of all Samurai to protect and rescues damsels that are in distress." Kuno's katana was unsheathed in an eyeblink. "I'll bring about his death and none shall dismiss my claim of his evils."

All of the people within the inn blinked in surprise. They weren't quite sure what to make of the stranger's rants, but he seemed quite skilled with that blade. The man who had confronted them spoke up again, "She was run out of town. Headed north. Probably still running, if she knows what's good for her."

"Yes! Run, Pig-tailed Girl! Flee Saotome's grasp so that I may yet rescue you!"

"Kuno."

"Yes, Mrs. Saotome?"

"What did I say about talking like that?"

"I'll refrain from talking about the villainous Saotome in front-guh!" Kuno's ramblings were cut off as Kodachi slammed a stout wood chair over his head.

Looking quite angelic, Kodachi turned to crowd. "Please forgive my brother's prattling. He's a little soft in the head."

* * *

Ranma mopped her brow of sweat. She must be getting out of shape if chopping wood was getting to her.

"Ranma, why don't you let me cut wood for a little while?" Akane asked. She had already rolled up her shirt's sleeves in readiness.

Ranma thought about it a second. Her sweating so much could be because of her recent sickness. "Sure, I guess." She handed over the ax to her fiancée.

Akane went to work with a will. It had taken Ranma about fifteen minutes to train her to properly cut wood, but she had gotten much better since then. Using the axe was more inconspicuous.

"I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it myself," a young woman's voice gushed in amazement.

"Hello, Else! Wouldn't believe what?" Ranma asked.

"You've done two full cords of wood already and Akane looks like she's going to try to cut even more!" Else shook her head in amazement. "Pa says to finish up soon, supper's on and Rand is already finished repairing that fence."

"Yo, Akane, you hear that?"

"I heard!" Akane hung up the ax on the tool shed.

In just a few minutes, they were sitting at the dinner table. Ranma noticed that Else seemed somewhat fascinated with both Rand and herself. To break that fascination, Rand took out Thom's flute and played a few jigs. Mat and Ranma both juggled, while Akane showed that she had some skill with singing.

At the end of the night, the parents seemed quite surprised that the two girls seemed to want to sleep away from the two boys in their own privacy.

The next morning, they were on the road fairly early after a substantial breakfast. At Rand's suggestion, they tried to pay for their meals and board by entertaining at different inns. This worked for about a week.

Until Four Kings. At Four Kings, things changed.

This ratty little town boasted several inns, as it seemed to on some sort of trade route. Inn after inn, they found entertainers of higher quality distractions than they could provide.

Ranma couldn't even remember the name of the inn they finally ended up. Rand had convinced the inn keeper to let them earn a meal. As Rand was taking a break, he sat next to Ranma. Akane was sitting up next to Mat, singing a little ditty while he threw balls into the air with a dizzying confidence.

"Ranko, I'm really starting to get worried about Mat. He isn't acting normal," Rand said finally, leaning close to whisper into her ear.

Ranma looked over at Mat, really watching him for the first time in weeks. She hadn't really thought about his surly attitude, but then, she didn't really know him too well anyways. As he finished juggling, she saw him reach under his jacket, resolutely fingering the dagger hidden there. His attitude seemed to be one of barely controlled contempt and anger. "Yeah, he's acting funny."

"I... think it may have to do with the dagger he found. At that place."

"What dagger? Where?" Ranma asked.

"Hey! I'm not feeding you if you don't entertain!" bellowed the inn keeper. He almost smiled to his customers. His inn was already packed.

"I'll tell you later." Rand reached for Thom's flute.

"Let me do something. The innkeeper's been staring at our swords. I think he wants to rob us." Ranma stood up, rearranging her clothes to accentuate her appearance just a bit.

"Whatcha going to do, girl?" one of the patrons asked as they saw her walk onto the tiny stage.

"In the lands I come from, they dance with swords. Watch and be dazzled!" Ranma cried out. Several of the customers booed in response. "Akane! Rand! A beat please!"

They answered by slapping out a rhythm on their legs, Mat slowly joining in. Ranma slowly sauntered across the stage, back and forth without even pulling her sword. The dance seemed to be a mix of Indian/Arabic dancing, mixed with a sweeping arm motions.

The patrons blinked in surprise at the lithe, exotic moves. Between one step and another, her sword appeared in her hands. Polished brightly, it spun a blinding dance of steel around her. She slapped her feet the last two steps like they'd planned and then stopped, Rand and Akane timing their beat to end at the same moment.

Rand bounced to his feet, pulling out the flute. He didn't show it, but he was very glad when he saw the slack-jawed amazement of the innkeeper. He'd think twice about robbing them. As he was sitting, he saw a well dressed man enter the taproom. He stood out among the throng of wagoneers and farmers, his silks looking out of place in the peeling room.

He looked around and then started. In moments the unknown man had found himself a place to sit. Cries from the audience suddenly grabbed his attention.

* * *

"I'm telling you what I heard. They said that strange man that you spotted went to every single inn in the town. Himself!" Mat exclaimed, throwing wary glances at the two weird foreigners that they traveled with.

"Do you really want to head out into that rain?" Rand responded.

"Hell, no!" Ranma said loudly. "I want to sleep somewhere warm!"

"We'll leave early, in case it's one of those people that are hunting us," Rand decided. He was glad they had already found those carpenter shims. They were able to wedge them into the door, effectively locking it.

Akane nodded in agreement. "That's a good idea."

They were interrupted by a knocking on the door. They all looked over in consternation.

"I wish to speak to the boys. Privately! Open up!" The voice oozed culture and refinement.

"We're going to bed." Rand stood up and belted his sword on. He'd checked the window, finding it barred. The only way out of the store room was through that door.

"I wanted to spare the girls, but their deaths are on your heads. Come now, boys! Open the door. This barrier won't protect you from the Dark One. And what he wishes, he takes."

The four youngsters felt fear clam up in their chests.

"We want nothing to do with Darkfriends!" Rand yelled back. Where was the innkeeper? He'd had a burly guard watching their door earlier. A tightness started to build in his heart. They were going to die here, far from friends and family.

"Why don't I just take him out?" Ranma asked, popping her knuckles. It had been days without a real fight. She was getting edgy.

"If that is the way you want to deal with it!" the ominous noble replied.

"What about his guards? He might have one of those things that followed us out of Two Rivers! Or a Fade!" Mat said. "We aren't all amazing warriors that can face down evil like you do!"

That stopped the young aquatransexual. Her glance flickered over to her fiancée. Akane might be able to kill a Fade, but he didn't like the odds of it. "I..." Her fear for Akane's safety redoubled itself, becoming a thudding, demanding presence in his heart.

The suddenly slamming of bodies into the door made the group jump in surprise.

"We're going to die!" Mat bemoaned.

The air seemed to become thicker than molasses, movements and actions muted under a strange lassitude. A strange sense of immensity seemed to loom ahead of them. Sudden danger flared into Akane's sense, sending her diving to the side.

Night turned to blinding day as an immense bolt of lightning smashed through the window and through the door, right between Rand and Ranma. The thunder smashed into their senses, deafening everyone and knocking them to the floor.

"Light! What was that?" Mat cried out. He'd been looking right at the window, hoping for some sort of escape.

Rand groaned and stood up. He felt like he'd been being trained by Ranma all day. "I'm not sure." He was still blinking the spots out of his eyes.

Ranma was doing the same thing. "That was really freaky." Her eyes started to take in the room again. She staggered almost drunkenly. What was wrong with her? She felt like she'd been training under Happosai for a week.

"Can someone light a candle or something?" Mat asked

"Um, I'll see if I can find something," Akane replied. Lightning flashed off in the distance; strobing for a long second. "It's going to be really tough to find anything in the dark."

Thunder rumbled in from the distance.

"I say we'd better leave. It shouldn't be too tough by the light of the next lightning bolt."

Lightning struck again, further away. It still illuminated the room brightly.

"Great. We're going to have to wait until it does, huh?"

"Mat... It already has. Twice." Rand felt a sense of dread invade his heart.

"What? But... I haven't seen..." Mat started to wave his hand frantically in front of his nose.

Even in the dark, the other three youths could see his actions.

"I can't see anything! I'm blind!" Mat cried out.

"We've got to leave!" Ranma said intently. She was standing by pure willpower alone. Rand didn't look much better, she noted.

"I'll guide you, Mat," Akane said as she gripped his hand.

* * *

Finally, they had made it Caemlyn with only one near encounter of Darkfriends. The woman had attempted to kill them in their sleep, but Akane had scared her off at sword point.

Although Ranma wondered if it were the sword or something else. The woman had been terrified of something. But Ranma had a distinct worry that it had something to do with those mists reacted to Akane. She shook her head suddenly as Rand's comment impinged on her again. "I guess we could do some colored ribbons to cover that symbol on your hilt," she replied. She glanced around the street and the open front stores.

"Red or white?" Mat asked. He had the wide-eyed look of a country bumpkin getting his first taste of a real city.

"It looks like red is cheaper," Akane noted. "Should we all do that with our swords?"

Ranma took a look around. Everyone seemed to have the ribbons on their swords. Something about it struck her odd, but it didn't quite register to her that everyone seemed to be congregating by colors. "Sure."

In moments their three swords were all bedecked with ribbons.

Mat almost seemed jovial today. "So, we're off to the Queen's Blessing?"

Akane nodded. "That was the place that Tom mentioned to go to in Caemlyn, wasn't it?"

It took several hours of wandering and asking questions, but they eventually found the nice inn. Entering, the four of them looked around to take in the nicely maintained main room.

The man behind the bar seemed to be looking over them closely. "Welcome to the Queen's Blessing. I'm Basil Gill, the master of the establishment. How may I help you this day?" His eyes seemed to be noting their beribboned swords.

Everyone in the group looked at Rand. "I'm Rand Al'Thor. A friend of mine suggested that I use this inn while I waited for some friends."

Master Gill just smiled. "Does your friend have a name?"

"Oh, I'm sorry! His name is Thom-" Rand started to say.

"Probably better to not finish that. If that's the Thom I think it is, it would be better if it wasn't known," Master Gill interrupted quickly. "He's a friend of mine, of course. And a friend of Thom's is a friend of mine, of course. I don't suppose you can pay for your stay?"

"We have a little money and we'd be willing to work and entertain. Thom taught us a little bit of the Gleeman's trade," Rand explained.

"All of you?" Master Gill asked, looking at Ranma and Akane.

"We're from a far off land and traveling with Rand and Mat. Women could be entertainers from our lands, which seemed to intrigue Master Thom," Akane explained. She bowed to him really quickly.

"Really? That would have intrigued the old coot," the innkeeper said. "Well, let's see about getting you some rooms."

* * *

Ranma awoke from being shaken by Akane.

"Come on, Ranma! That False Dragon is going to be shown around town today as a victory for the Queen of this country," Akane said.

"Too early. Goway," the red-haired girl mumbled.

"I want to practice before we go and see the parade!" She tried shaking the other girl again, to no avail. "Fine, be that way. Ah-yup!" She spun and flipped the sleeping girl right out the window and into the small stable area.

Ranma bounced off the hard ground, now very awake. "Hey!" She rolled out of the way of Akane's follow up attack. "Oh yeah! I'll show you!"

Up in his room, Rand just grabbed his pillow to cover his head. He was going to cherish every moment he had of his sleep.

From the back door, Master Gill watched the two young warriors throwing punches and kicks in a frenzied blur. They were some of the most amazing people he'd ever seen with the way they could fight. In the fighting arts, it was obvious that Ranma was the teacher, while the other three teenagers were the students.

After about a half an hour, Rand dragged Mat down for their own punishment. Er, training. At the end of their hour of grueling training, they were let go. Rand decided to head off into the city, while Mat in a irritating funk just went back to bed.

Akane cleaned herself up and put on a dress, a rarity since she'd visited this land. Ranma cleaned up in Rand and Mat's room and changed genders, much to his relief. He'd been feeling less phobic about the curse, but he still didn't like it. And he was hoping for some cuddling later that day.

"Ready, Ranma?" Akane asked.

Ranma smiled and nodded. His fiancée looked pretty good, he thought to himself. He just wished he was better at telling her without it coming out wrong.

A while later, they were on the crowded streets of Caemlyn, trying to find a good place to watch the procession.

"This isn't working, everyone's too tall!" Akane complained.

"Yeah. How about we find someplace higher up?" the boy looked up intended path of the procession. "What do you think?"

"I'm in a dress, Ranma! I'm not climbing any walls!" she snapped back.

"That's because your thighs are too thick and your too slow and-" Bingo! She took the bait, just like he'd expected.

"Ranma! How dare you! Come back here so I can pulverize you!" Akane screeched as she ran after the rapidly retreating form. Oh no he wasn't going to get away! No way was he going to get out of this beating!

The left the crowd behind in moments, heading in the direction that Ranma had pointed to a moment ago. "Naya! Can't catch me, Tomboy!"

Said 'Tomboy' didn't realize it, but they had left the ground to leap to the top of the short buildings on their way. Up ahead of her, Ranma spun around and stopped while holding up his hands defensively. "Akane wait!"

"Why? Afraid to take your lumps like a man?" she snapped hotly. She slowly, and with menacing intent, continued to walk towards him across the top of the thick stone wall.

"Naw! It's just that we can see the parade perfectly from up here!" he said happily and pointed below them.

Akane fumed for a moment, but she acquiesced to his good mood and sat next to him on the wall.

They didn't have to wait long to see the parade move into view. Ranma was struck by how unbeaten the False Dragon was, even under all of the chains he was wrapped up in. His gaze was hot and angry as he looked over the jeering crowds. Surrounding him sat women in shawls, ignoring the crowds utterly. The Aes Sedai's Warders, on the other hand, looked ready to attack the entire city and win a battle, here and now!

Slowly the procession moved to the edge of their view, when they heard a loud yell and thudding sound from behind them. They blinked and looked at each other.

"Hey, Rand? What are you doing here?" Ranma asked as he looked at the mussed up young man below him getting to his feet. It looked like he had fallen from the same wall he was on, just from further along the wall, where a tree blocked their view. "Jeeze, I'm going to have to reteach you how to land."

Akane just giggled.

"More people? Would you mind coming down here?" an unknown young woman's voice asked from just out of sight. From the tree that Rand had fallen through, a young woman in a very ornate dress climbed down.

Ranma shrugged. With one hand, he flipped himself up and around, spinning acrobatically. Akane was a little more demure as hopped down while trying to keep her skirt from flying up.

A blonde haired young woman was standing over Rand in the yard he had fallen into. It actually looked like a garden, now that Ranma thought about it. Behind her stood a tall fellow with very good looks who had also just climbed down from the tree.

She looked quite startled by his landing. "And who are you people?" she asked. She appeared to be quite pretty, her dress mussed in places. A smudge of dirt dabbed her cheek.

Ranma puffed up his chest. "I'm Ranma Saotome!"

Akane promptly deflated his chest with an elbow. "I am Akane Tendo. Pleased to meet you."

"Er, Rand Al'Thor, my lady." The tall lad from the country seemed to be out of sorts around the pretty girl. The small scrape at his head was mostly ignored. He'd have hated to have hit his head harder.

"And what were you doing up there?" the young man asked intently.

"Oh, we were just seeing the False Dragon," Ranma replied helpfully. "You could get a great view from the wall."

"Oh, I do know that. Mother wouldn't allow us to see the False Dragon," the girl said.

"Which is why we of course had to climb that tree, right Elayne?" the young man said calmly.

"Oh? Who is your mother?" Rand asked. He felt a little prickle of worry, all of a sudden.

Elayne's eyes widened in surprise, but Gawyn spoke in an ordinary tone that made his words all the more jarring. "Morgase, by the Grace of the Light, Queen of Andor, Protector of the Realm, Defender of the People, High Seat of the House Trakand."

"The Queen?" Rand managed to utter out.

"And you do sound like an Andorman, though your accent is a strange," Gawyn mused to himself. "Where do you hail from, Rand al'Thor?"

"Edmond's Field, in the Two Rivers," he replied thickly.

The young lord looked surprised at that. "To the west, far west indeed. Tabac and wool come from that region, from what I remember of my studies. It's said Two Rivers people are stubborn. They can be led, if they think you are worthy, but the harder you try to push them, the harder they dig in. Elayne ought to choose her husband from there. It'll take a man with a will like stone to keep from being trampled by her."

Elayne did not look happy at that comment, but was interrupted by a new voice.

"What is this?" the very handsome, almost pretty man said. He took them all in with his sweeping gaze. "Stand away from these people, Elayne. You too, Gawyn."

The Daughter-Heir stepped in between the newcomer and the strangers to Caemlyn with supreme confidence. "He is a loyal subject of our mother, and a good Queen's man. And he is under my protection, Galad."

"I am aware of your fondness for strays, Elayne," the slender man said reasonably, "but these people are armed, and they hardly look reputable. In these days, we cannot be too careful. If they're loyal to the Queen, what are they doing here where they do not belong? It is easy enough to change the wrappings on a sword, Elayne."

"Hey! We haven't done nothing!" Ranma shouted right back. Something about this fellow rubbed him the wrong way. Just like Taro Pantyhose, if he'd thought about it.

"They are here as my guests, Galad, and I vouch for them. Or have you appointed yourself my nurse, to decide whom I may talk to, and when?"

Galad seemed to look them all over. "I see I won't be able to convince you of this. Gawyn, perhaps you could help convince her that this is not right?"

Gawyn just gave a look as if to say that he had no control and why was he being asked.

Ranma just looked flatly at Galadedrid with a look that promised pain, but did not argue when they took his sword. The guards poked him in the back and got him moving forward. In moments, they arrived in the throne room.

Galad bowed, in all formality yet with the grace of a cat, took a step back, then turned and strode down the paved path, his long legs carrying him quickly out of sight beyond the arbor.

"I hate him," Elayne breathed. "He is vile and full of envy."

"There you go too far, Elayne," Gawyn said. "Galad does not know the meaning of envy. Twice he has saved my life, with none to know if he held his hand. If he had not, he would be your First Prince of the Sword in my place."

"Never, Gawyn. I would choose anyone before Galad. Anyone. The lowest stableboy." Suddenly she smiled and gave her brother a mock-stern look. "You say I am fond of giving orders. Well, I command you to let nothing happen to you. I command you to be my First Prince of the Sword when I take the throne - the Light send that day is far off! - and to lead the armies of Andor with the sort of honor Galad cannot dream of."

"As you command, my Lady." Gawyn laughed with his bow a parody of Galad's.

"Now we must get you out of here quickly." Elayne looked over the hodge-podge group.

"Galad always does the right thing," Gawyn explained, "even when he should not. In this case, finding a stranger in the gardens, the right thing is to notify the Palace guards. Which I suspect he is on his way to do right this minute."

Suddenly they heard boots pounding toward them over the slate paving stones.

"Too late," Gawyn muttered. "He must have started running as soon as he was out of eyeshot."

Elayne growled an oath; Akane's and Rand's eyebrows shot up. They had both heard that one from the stablemen at The Queen's Blessing and had been shocked then. The next moment she was in cool self-possession once more.

Red-uniformed men burst into sight, breastplates catching the sun as they dashed up the path. Others came like breaking waves of scarlet and polished steel, seemingly from every direction. Some held drawn swords; others only waited to set their boots before raising bows and knocking feathered shafts. Behind the barred face-guards, every eye was grim, and every broadhead arrow was pointed unwaveringly at the three intruders.

Elayne and Gawyn leaped as one, putting themselves between the group and the arrows, their arms spread to cover them all. Rand stood very still and kept his hands in plain sight, away from his sword. Ranma appeared to be relaxed, but Akane knew that he was as tense as the bowstrings pointed at him.

While the thud of boots and the creak of bowstrings still hung in the air, one of the soldiers, with the golden knot of an officer on his shoulder, shouted, "My Lady, my Lord, down, quickly!"

Despite her outstretched arms Elayne drew herself up regally. "You dare to bring bare steel into my presence, Tallanvor? Gareth Bryne will have you mucking stables with the meanest trooper for this, if you are lucky!"

The soldiers exchanged puzzled glances, and some of the bowmen uneasily half lowered their bows. Only then did Elayne let her arms down, as if she had only held them up because she wished to. Gawyn hesitated, then followed her example. Rand could count the bows that had not been lowered. The muscles of his stomach tensed as though they could stop a broadhead shaft at twenty paces. He didn't think he was up to parrying arrows as Ranma boasted that he could do.

The man with the officer's knot seemed the most perplexed of all. "My Lady, forgive me, but Lord Galadedrid reported dirty peasants skulking in the gardens, armed and endangering my Lady Elayne and my Lord Gawyn." His eyes went to Rand and then Ranma, and his voice firmed. "If my Lady and my Lord will please to step aside, I will take these villains into custody. There is too much riff-raff in the city these days."

"I doubt very much if Galad reported anything of the kind," Elayne said. "Galad does not lie."

"Sometimes I wish he would," Gawyn said softly, for Rand's ear. "Just once. It might make living with him easier."

"This man is my guest," Elayne continued, "and here under my protection. You may withdraw, Tallanvor."

"I regret that will not be possible, My Lady. As My Lady knows, the Queen, your lady mother, has given orders regarding anyone on Palace grounds without Her Majesty's permission and word has been sent to Her Majesty of this intruder." There was more than a hint of satisfaction in Tallanvor's voice. Rand suspected the officer had had to accept other commands from Elayne that he did not think proper; this time the man was not about to, not when he had a perfect excuse.

Elayne stared back at Tallanvor; for once she seemed at a loss.

Rand looked a question at Gawyn, and Gawyn understood. "Prison," he murmured. Rand's face went white, and the young man added quickly, "Only for a few days, and you will not be harmed. You'll be questioned by Gareth Bryne, the Captain-General, personally, but you will be set free once it's clear you meant no harm." He paused, hidden thoughts in his eyes. "I hope you were telling the truth, Rand al'Thor from the Two Rivers."

Another red-uniformed soldier came running down the path, skidding to a halt to salute with an arm across his chest. He spoke softly to Tallanvor, and his words brought satisfaction back to Tallanvor's face.

"The Queen, your lady mother," Tallanvor announced, "commands me to bring the intruder to her immediately. It is also the Queen's command that my Lady Elayne and my Lord Gawyn attend her. Also immediately."

Gawyn winced, and Elayne swallowed hard. Her face composed, she still began industriously brushing at the stains on her dress. Aside from dislodging a few pieces of bark, her effort did little good.

"If My Lady pleases?" Tallanvor said smugly. "My Lord?"

The soldiers formed around them in a hollow box that started along the slate path with Tallanvor leading. Gawyn and Elayne walked on either side of Rand, Ranma and Akane, both appearing lost in unpleasant thoughts. The soldiers had sheathed their swords and returned arrows to quivers, but they were no less on guard than when they had had weapons in hand. They watched the trio as if they expected him at any moment to snatch their swords and try to cut their way to freedom.

"It's green," Rand suddenly whispered. "Green." The soldiers muttered to themselves; Tallanvor gave them a sharp look over his shoulder and they fell silent.

"Elaida's work," Gawyn said absently.

"It is not right," Elayne said. "She asked if I wanted to pick out the one farm she could do the same for, while all around it the crops still failed, but it still isn't right for us to have flowers when there are people who do not have enough to eat." She drew a deep breath, and refilled her self-possession. "Remember yourself," she told Rand briskly. "Speak up clearly when you are spoken to, and keep silent otherwise. And follow my lead. All will be well. "

Rand wished he could share her confidence. It would have helped if Gawyn had seemed to have it as well. As Tallanvor led them into the Palace, he looked back at the garden, at all the green streaked with blossoms, colors wrought for a Queen by an Aes Sedai's hand. He was in deep water, and there was no bank in sight.

The path Tallanvor took turned so many times that Rand lost his sense of direction. Finally the young officer stopped before tall double doors of dark wood with a rich glow, not so grand as some they had passed, but still carved all over with rows of lions, finely wrought in detail. A liveried servant stood to either side.

"At least it isn't the Grand Hall." Gawyn laughed unsteadily. "I never heard that Mother commanded anyone's head cut off from here." He sounded as if he thought she might set a precedent.

Tallanvor reached for Rand's sword, but Elayne moved to cut him off. "He is my guest, and by custom and law, guests of the royal family may go armed even in Mother's presence. Or will you deny my word that he is my guest?"

Tallanvor hesitated, locking eyes with her, then nodded. "Very well, my Lady." She smiled at Rand as Tallanvor stepped back, but it lasted only a moment. "First rank to accompany me," Tallanvor commanded. "Announce the Lady Elayne and the Lord Gawyn to Her Majesty," he told the doorkeepers. "Also Guardsman-Lieutenant Tallanvor, at Her Majesty's command, with the intruders under guard."

Elayne scowled at Tallanvor, but the doors were already swinging open. A sonorous voice sounded, announcing those who came.

Grandly Elayne swept through the doors. Gawyn squared his shoulders and strode in flanking her, one measured pace to her rear. Rand followed with Akane and Ranma behind them, uncertainly keeping level with Gawyn on her other side. Tallanvor stayed close to them, and ten soldiers came with him. The doors closed silently behind them

Suddenly Elayne dropped into a deep curtsy, simultaneously bowing from the waist, and stayed there, holding her skirt wide. Rand gave a start, then hastily emulated Gawyn and the other men, shifting awkwardly until he had it right. He and Tallanvor exchanged looks of anger after a while. Ranma and Akane duplicate the bows as best as possible.

The square chamber was about the size of the common room at The Queen's Blessing, its walls presenting hunting scenes carved in relief in stone of the purest white. The tapestries between the carvings were gentle images of bright flowers and brilliantly plumaged hummingbirds, except for the two at the far end of the room, where the White Lion of Andor stood taller than a man on scarlet fields. Those two hangings flanked a dais, and on the dais a carved and gilded throne where sat the Queen.

A bluff, blocky man stood bareheaded by the Queen's right hand in the red of the Queen's Guards, with four golden knots on the shoulder of his cloak and wide golden bands breaking the white of his cuffs. His temples were heavy with gray, but he looked as strong and immovable as a rock. That had to be the Captain-General, Gareth Bryne. Behind the throne and to the other side a woman in deep green silk sat on a low stool, knitting something out of dark, almost black, wool. At first, the knitting made Rand think she was old, but at second glance he could not put an age to her at all.

There was no sound in the room except for the click of her needles

"You may rise," Morgase said in a rich, warm voice that held Elayne's assurance of obedience a hundred times over.

"Mother - " Elayne began, but Morgase cut her off.

"You have been climbing trees, it seems, daughter." Elayne plucked a stray fragment of bark from her dress and, finding there was no place to put it, held it clenched in her hand. "In fact," Morgase went on calmly, "it would seem that despite my orders to the contrary you have contrived to take your look at this Logain. Gawyn, I have thought better of you. You must learn not only to obey your sister, but at the same time to be counterweight for her against disaster." The Queen's eyes swung to the blocky man beside her, then quickly away again. Bryne remained impassive, as if he had not noticed, but Rand thought those eyes noticed everything. "That, Gawyn, is as much the duty of the First Prince as is leading the armies of Andor. Perhaps if your training is intensified, you will find less time for letting your sister lead you into trouble. I will ask the Captain-General to see that you do not lack for things to do on the journey north."

Gawyn shifted his feet as if about to protest, then bowed his head instead. "As you command, mother."

"I have seen this fellow Logain from close, and he is dangerous, child. Caged, with Aes Sedai to guard him every minute, he is still as dangerous as a wolf. I wish he had never been brought near Caemlyn."

"He will be dealt with in Tar Valon." The woman on the stool did not take her eyes from her knitting as she spoke. "What is important is that the people see that the Light has once again vanquished the Dark. And that they see you are part of that victory, Morgase."

Morgase waved a dismissive hand. "I would still rather he had never come near Caemlyn. Elayne, I know your mind."

"Mother," Elayne protested, "I do mean to obey you. Truly I do."

"You do?" Morgase asked in mock surprise, then chuckled. "Yes, you do try to be a dutiful daughter. But you constantly test how far you may go. Well, I did the same with my mother. That spirit will stand you in good stead when you ascend to the throne, but you are not Queen yet, child. You have disobeyed me and had your look at Logain. Be satisfied with that. On the journey north you will not be allowed within one hundred paces of him, neither you nor Gawyn. If I did not know just how hard your lessons will be in Tar Valon, I would send Lini along to see that you obey. She, at least, seems able to make you do as you must."

Elayne bowed her head sullenly.

The woman behind the throne seemed occupied with counting her stitches. "In one week," she said suddenly, "you will be wanting to come home to your mother. In a month you will be wanting to run away with the Traveling People. But my sisters will keep you away from the unbeliever. That sort of thing is not for you, not yet." Abruptly she turned on the stool to look intently at Elayne, all her placidity gone as if it had never been. "You have it in you to be the greatest Queen that Andor has ever seen, that any land has seen in more than a thousand years. It is for that we will shape you, if you have the strength for it."

Rand just stared at her uncertainly.

"Enough, Elaida," Morgase said, frowning uneasily. "She has heard that more than enough. The Wheel weaves as the Wheel wills." For a moment, she was silent, looking at her daughter. "Now there is the problem of these youngsters" - she gestured to them all without taking her eyes off Elayne's face - "and how and why they came here, and why you claimed guest-right for them to your brother."

"May I speak, mother?" When Morgase nodded her assent, Elayne told of events simply, from the time she first saw Rand climbing up the slope to the wall. He expected her to finish by proclaiming the innocence of what he had done, but instead she said, "Mother, often you tell me I must know our people, from the highest to the lowest, but whenever I meet any of them it is with a dozen attendants. How can I come to know anything real or true under such circumstances? In speaking with this young man I have already learned more about the people of the Two Rivers, what kind of people they are, than I ever could from books. It says something that he has come so far and has put on the red, when so many incomers wear the white from fear. Mother, I beg you not to misuse a loyal subject, and one who has taught me much about the people you rule."

"A loyal subject from the Two Rivers." Morgase sighed. "My child, you should pay more heed to those books. The Two Rivers has not seen a tax collector in six generations, nor the Queen's Guards in seven. I daresay they seldom even think to remember they are part of the Ream." Rand shrugged uncomfortably, recalling his surprise when he was told the Two Rivers was part of the Realm of Andor. The Queen saw him, and smiled ruefully at her daughter. "You see, child?"

Elaida had put down her knitting, Rand realized, and was studying him. She rose from her stool and slowly came down from the dais to stand before him. "From the Two Rivers?" she said. She reached a hand toward his head; he pulled away from her touch, and she let her hand drop. "With that red in his hair, and gray eyes? Two Rivers people are dark of hair and eye, and they seldom have such height." Her hand darted out to push back his coat sleeve, exposing lighter skin the sun had not reached so often. "Or such skin."

She looked at the exotic looking pair. "And these are also from the Two Rivers?"

Ranma suddenly shook his head vigorously. "We're travelers, actually."

"We met Rand in Two Rivers and traveled with him here," Akane explained. "Our lands are very far away."

"I was born in Emond's Field," Rand said stiffly. "My mother was an outlander; that's where my eyes come from. My father is Tam al'Thor, a shepherd and farmer, as I am."

Elaida nodded slowly, never taking her eyes from his face. He met her gaze with a levelness that belied the sour feeling in his stomach. He saw her note the steadiness of his look. Still meeting him eye to eye, she moved her hand slowly toward him again. He resolved not to flinch this time.

It was his sword she touched, not him, her hand closing around the hilt at the very top. Her fingers tightened and her eyes opened wide with surprise. "A shepherd from the Two Rivers," she said softly, a whisper meant to be heard by all, "with a heron-mark sword."

In two quick strides Gareth Bryne was at the front of the dais, between Rand and the Queen.

Elayne herself looked at him as if she were seeing him for the first time. Morgase did not change expression, but her hands tightened on the gilded arms of her throne.

"Surely," Morgase said, her voice level, "he is too young to have earned a heron-mark blade. He cannot be any older than Gawyn."

"It fits. I don't understand, but all of these... children could carry a heron-marked blade."

The Queen looked at him in surprise. "How can that be?"

"I do not know, Morgase," Bryne said slowly. "He is too young, yet still it belongs with him, and he with it. Look at his eyes. Look how he stands, how the sword fits him, and he it. He is too young, but the sword is his."

Galad cried out, "Surely not? He is surely not a blade master! And these younger children? Absurd!"

When the Captain-General fell silent, Elaida said, "How did you come by this blade, Rand al'Thor from the Two Rivers?" She said it as if she doubted his name as much as she did where he was from.

"My father gave it to me," Rand said. "It was his. He thought I'd need a sword, out in the world."

"Yet another shepherd from the Two Rivers with a heron-mark blade." Elaida's smile made his mouth go dry. "When did you arrive in Caemlyn?"

Rand suddenly lied, slightly surprising Ranma and Akane. "Today," he said. "This morning."

"That is very curious. What do you say? For that matter, what is you name and where are you from, boy?" Queen Morgase asked curiously.

"I am learning how to use it better from Ran-Ranma."

"Just in time," she murmured. "Where are you staying? Don't say you have not found a room somewhere. You look a little tattered, but you have had a chance to freshen. Where?"

"The Crown and Lion. I have a bed there. In the attic."

Ranma and Akane carefully schooled their faces to show no surprise at their friends sudden adroitness in lying.

"What chance this?" she said. "Today the unbeliever is brought into Caemlyn. In two days, he will be taken north to Tar Valon, and with him goes the Daughter-Heir for her training. And at just this juncture a young man appears in the Palace gardens, claiming to be a loyal subject from the Two Rivers..."

"I am from the Two Rivers." They were all looking at him, but all ignored him. All but Tallanvor and the guards, those eyes never blinked.

"That is where we met up with him," Akane tried to explain.

"Huh, didn't know that was a blade-master's sword," Ranma muttered to himself. He shrugged to himself.

"...with a story calculated to entice Elayne and bearing a heron-mark blade. He does not wear an armband or a cockade to proclaim his allegiance, but wrappings that carefully conceal the heron from inquisitive eyes. What chance this, Morgase?"

"And you are this boy's teacher? You look to be younger than him, and no seasoned warrior," the queen said as she turned to stare at the other boy.

Ranma bristled at that. "I'm Ranma Saotome of the Saotome School of Martial Arts! I've been in lots of fights! I was trained to fight since I could walk!"

"Many fights? And how many men have you killed?" Gareth asked, suddenly intent.

Ranma pursed his lips in tension. "A few. Too many."

The Queen motioned the Captain-General to stand aside, and when he did, she studied Rand with a troubled look. It was to Elaida that she spoke, though. "What are you naming him? Darkfriend? One of Logain's followers?"

"The Dark One stirs in Shayol Ghul," the Aes Sedai replied. "The Shadow lies across the Pattern, and the future is balanced on the point of a pin. This one is dangerous."

Suddenly Elayne moved, throwing herself onto her knees before the throne. "Mother, I beg you not to harm him. He would have left immediately had I not stopped him. He wanted to go. It was I who made him stay. I cannot believe he is a Darkfriend."

Morgase made a soothing gesture toward her daughter, but her eyes remained on Rand. "Is this a Foretelling, Elaida? Are you reading the Pattern? You say it comes on you when you least expect it and goes as suddenly as it comes. If this is a Foretelling, Elaida, I command you to speak the truth clearly, without your usual habit of wrapping it in so much mystery that no one can tell if you have said yes or no. Speak. What do you see?"

"This I Foretell," Elaida replied, "and swear under the Light that I can say no clearer. From this day Andor marches toward pain and division. The Shadow has yet to darken to its blackest, and I cannot see if the Light will come after. Where the world has wept one tear, it will weep thousands. This I Foretell."

A pall of silence clung to the room, broken only by Morgase expelling her breath as if it were her last.

Elaida whispered something that only Rand could hear.

"I'm a shepherd," Ran said suddenly for the entire room. "From the Two Rivers. A shepherd. "

Ranma felt as if the weight of tension would break the world as he listened.

"The Wheel weaves as the Wheel wills," Elaida said aloud, and he could not tell if there was a touch of mockery in her tone or not.

"Lord Gareth," Morgase said, "I need the advice of my Captain-General."

The blocky man shook his head. "Elaida Sedai says the lad is dangerous, My Queen, and if she could tell more I would say summon the headsman. But all she says is what any of us can see with our own eyes. There's not a farmer in the countryside won't say things will get worse, without any Foretelling. Myself, I believe the boy is here through mere happenstance, though an ill one for him. To be safe, My Queen, I say clap him in a cell till the Lady Elayne and the Lord Gawyn are well on their way, then let him go. Unless, Aes Sedai, you have more to Foretell concerning him?"

"I have said all that I have read in the Pattern, Captain-General," Elaida said. She flashed a hard smile at Rand, a smile that barely bent her lips, mocking his inability to say that she was not telling the truth. "A few weeks imprisoned will not harm him, and it may give me a chance to learn more." Hunger filled her eyes, deepening his chill. "Perhaps another Foretelling will come."

For a time Morgase considered, chin on her fist and elbow on the arm of her throne. Rand would have shifted under her frowning gaze if he could have moved at all, but Elaida's eyes froze him solid. Finally the Queen spoke.

"Suspicion is smothering Caemlyn, perhaps all of Andor. Fear and black suspicion. Women denounce their neighbors for Darkfriends. Men scrawl the Dragon's Fang on the doors of people they have known for years. I will not become part of it."

"Morgase-" Elaida began, but the Queen cut her off.

"I will not become part of it. When I took the throne I swore to uphold justice for the high and the low, and I will uphold it even if I am the last in Andor to remember justice. Rand al'Thor, do you swear under the Light that your father, a shepherd in the Two Rivers, gave you this heron-mark blade?"

Rand worked his mouth to get enough moisture to speak. "I do." Abruptly remembering to whom he was speaking, he hastily added, "My Queen." Lord Gareth raised a heavy eyebrow, but Morgase did not seem to mind.

"And you climbed the garden wall simply to gain a look at the false Dragon?"

"Yes, my Queen."

"Do you mean harm to the throne of Andor, or to my daughter, or my son?" Her tone said the last two would gain him even shorter shrift than the first.

"I mean no harm to anyone, my Queen. To you and yours least of all."

"I will give you justice then, Rand al'Thor," she said. "First, because I have the advantage of Elaida and Gareth in having heard Two Rivers speech when I was young. You have not the look, but if a dim memory can serve me, you have the Two Rivers on your tongue. Second, no one with your hair and eyes would claim that he is a Two Rivers shepherd unless it was true. And that your father gave you a heron-mark blade is too preposterous to be a lie. And third, the voice that whispers to me that the best lie is often one too ridiculous to be taken for a lie... that voice is not proof. I will uphold the laws I have made. I give you your freedom, Rand al'Thor, but I suggest you take a care where you trespass in the future. If you are found on the Palace grounds again, it will not go so easily with you."

"What of my friends?" Rand asked intently.

Ranma and Akane blinked in surprise. Everyone had been so focused on Rand, they had almost forgotten them.

"What about us?" Ranma asked with no tact.

"They are foreigners and make no pretence of loyalty to Andor," Elaida said, her eyes narrowed. "They could have duped this poor lad and tricked him into coming with them."

Morgase looked over the two darker skinned youngsters with their slightly strange eyes. "What lands do you hail from?"

"We hail from the lands of Wa, more commonly known as Japan," Akane said, ignoring the glare that Ranma shot her. "It is very far and distant from these shores."

On second thought, it would be better if he didn't say anything, Ranma thought to himself.

"Are you also farmers? Or herders of goats?" Elaida asked, as she sat back on her stool. She obviously would not expect either.

How best to explain that they were students, in terms that these people could understand? Akane had it suddenly come to her. "My name is Akane Tendo. This is my fiancé, Ranma Saotome. My father is a teacher of the sword and spear. I and my be-betrothed are to be the heirs to his lands and his school."

"Heir to a weapons-master?" Morgase asked, intrigued. She nodded at Rand for a second. "He mentioned that you were teaching him the blade? How good are you?"

Akane just smiled. "I am an accomplished warrior, but Ranma is far, far better than me. He is probably the best fighter that I've ever seen."

"He doesn't look like a blooded warrior to me!" Galad said coldly. He seemed affronted by Ranma's presence for some inexplicable reason.

"Is that a challenge?" the boy snapped right back.

"Certainly! I'll show you your place!"

"Ranma! No!" Akane cried out, suddenly worried.

"Galadedrid, I forbid this! I'm not going to let you goad this young man into a duel!" Morgase said firmly.

Gareth Bryne suddenly laughed. "Morgase, I think you had better set the terms of this duel between Galad and Ranma, else they are likely to sneak off behind your back and kill each other."

The queen pursed her lips thoughtfully. "Perhaps you are right, Gareth."

"Eh, don't worry. I won't mark him or nothing," Ranma boasted.

"Actually, I was more worried about him hurting you," she replied thoughtfully. "Very well, the first to cut the other is the winner."

The prince suddenly looked a trifle worried, as Ranma seemed to become even _more_ confident. He brushed it off with extra poise. He was trained by Gareth Bryne, after all. "Whenever you are ready, Ranma Saotome."

Galad saluted Ranma with his sword, awaiting his response. Ranma snapped a salute with his sword still sheathed, surprising everyone present.

Akane winced at that. That meant Ranma was going to show off. Why did the dummy have to pick now of all times to humiliate this guy? He was a prince or something!

"Ha!" the royal shouted as he charged Ranma, slashing at him. It looked for a moment that he'd struck, but the afterimage of Ranma faded away. Galadedrid spun around to block Ranma's still sheathed sword.

"That just won't do!" the aquatranssexual exclaimed. "How about a lesson for free?"

Gareth suddenly snapped to a much higher state of tension. This boy was better than the prince was. Perhaps even better than himself. He put his hand on his hilt, just in case. Queen Morgase blinked in surprise at that, then in sudden worry.

"And one-two and three! And again! And faster!" Ranma said suddenly, ripping into a blindingly fast set of maneuvers. He suddenly snapped a kick that stung his opponent's thigh. "Never fall into your foe's pattern. He knows it better than you."

Elayne just stared in surprise as her half-brother was brutally outdone at every point. Gawyn just nodded, watching the fight with rapt attention. This boy was a true blademaster!

Galad's eyes were starting to get wild and angry. "You won't ever mark me if you won't draw your sword."

"I haven't finished my lesson yet," the martial artist said with smirk.

Galadedrid promised to himself that he would wipe that look off of Ranma's face if it was the last thing he did. He didn't bother to reply, as he was starting to get winded.

"There you go! You're starting to get that move!" Ranma exclaimed, easily blocking said move that he'd just shown his 'pupil.' "You're really pretty good. Not the best, of course. But not bad at all."

He would destroy that smirk, he promised to himself again.

"Of course, Rand is nearly as good as you. And I've only been training him for just a couple of months," Ranma said conversationally. "I'd like to think it's because of my training, but he's got a lot of talent, too."

Rand blinked at that. He had no idea that Ranma thought that. On the other hand, he did think that he would do all right against Galadedrid from what he'd seen.

The prince just gritted his teeth as he again tried and failed to beat his way past Ranma's defenses.

Ranma suddenly hopped backwards about ten feet and swiped his still sheathed sword at his target. "We're done now, your Majesty." Ranma then bowed to her while leaving his back open.

"What are you talking about? You haven't even... cut me?" Galadedrid suddenly looked surprised as he felt a pain in his sword-arm's shoulder. His sleeve was ripped and a small cut was now trickling blood. With his free hand, he staunched the flow of blood.

Even Akane was impressed at that. Ranma had refined Kuno's technique even further. Gareth Bryne licked his lips nervously.

"I am quite... impressed with your skill, Ranma Saotome. You are a Blade Master?" the Queen managed to say regally.

"Ah, I'm not a real master or nothing. I've only had a couple of students."

"I find that hard to believe, Ranma Saotome. Do not the people of your land gift their greatest masters with a heron-marked blade?" Gareth asked as he consciously relaxed.

Ranma just shook his head and shrugged.

"My Queen, if I may suggest? He definitely deserves the finest of such blades. And he showed great skill, there is no doubt." He left it unsaid that Ranma could have probably killed most of the people in this room, guards or not. Probably without unsheathing his sword, as he had just shown.

"He's also quite proven his boasted skills, too!" she said with a smile that took off the edge of her comment.

"Harun, please go to the armory and get my spare blade," Gareth asked one of the guards. The guard nodded, bowed to the queen and started to walk out.

"Guardsman Harun?" Morgase called out. "Bring the heron blade from my quarters instead."

Gareth looked at her with concealed surprise.

"Its closer," the queen said blandly. Not to mention that Galad should learn that there are always consequences to such hotheaded antics.

"My Queen? What is your decision about these intruders?" Elaida asked. She was unsure that she could convince Morgase to keep them here. Especially after such a stunning duel.

"They shall be released also. Ranma could have quite easily slain Elayne and Gawyn in that garden, guards or not. I feel that I can trust these people that they mean no harm to me and mine." When Elaida opened her mouth to continue to persuade her, the queen cut her off. "I will not imprison a loyal countryman, or his outlander friends that stand by his side."

"Yes, my Queen."

"You Majesty? I've, ah, brought the blade you requested." The guard quickly approached Morgase.

"Ranma Saotome, please approach." She waited until he came up. "I cannot ask for your loyalty, as I don't truly know you and you are not of my lands. But I hope you will accept this gift and my offer of friendship. You are quite an interesting young man."

"Er, thanks," Ranma said. He'd never received anything so nice. He pulled the blade just an inch and whistled.

Akane piped up, "You Majesty? May we be permitted to leave? We have a friend at our inn who might be worried about us being gone for so long."

Elaida almost rolled her eyes at that blatant attempt to get out of the palace. Obviously these... By the Light! This girl could channel! She must find out where they were staying. It was imperative.

* * *

"I can't believe you showed off like that and humiliated a prince!" Akane complained again. She fingered the ring Ranma had purchase with selling his old sword. That and some supplies had come from that little windfall.

"He deserved it! I think he wanted us thrown in prison or something."

Rand just nodded to himself in agreement with that. Elaida's words to him had disturbed him greatly. "We're back!" he called out as the three teenagers entered the Queen's Blessing.

They didn't stop to talk to the armed bouncer, petting a cat near the door. Ranma managed to squeeze by him, hoping the cat wouldn't meow. He hated showing his weaknesses.

Master Gill just nodded. "Good day. It seems you just missed a few fellows looking for you."

Ranma looked interested. "Oh?"

The owner of the Queen's Blessing wasn't sure of what to make of this Ranma that floated in and out. He'd never seen Ranko or him together, either. "Some Whitecloaks were looking for a very tall red-haired fellow and a foreign swordsman that humiliated one of the princes of the realm."

"Ah, oops?" Ranma said, just before he got bopped hard on the head.

"I told you that you shouldn't have humiliated him! He's going to make a lot of trouble for you!" she snapped.

"You are being so uncute!"

"Whitecloaks?" Rand asked, trying to divert Master Gill's attention.

"I don't think they knew you were together, as they asked separately for the blade-master or the people from Two Rivers. The rumors must be flying like the wind if they beat you here," Master Gill said with a smile. He leaned up to Rand, across the bar. "Do those two always fight?"

Rand just nodded with a grin. It was starting to be a common question. "Is Loial still here?" he asked.

Master Gill just nodded towards the library.

"Say! Master Gill, is it all right if we grab a snack before dinner?" Ranma asked. At his nod, he trotted towards the kitchen. Ranma bounded into the room with a smile that dropped very rapidly. "Er, hello Moiraine Sedai."

Moiraine just gave him a slightly flat look. She turned to Gilda who suddenly turned white. "Thank you for the food. Lan, would you take our saddlebags up to our rooms?" Egwene and Nynaeve pushed past him to find Rand and Mat with a small wave. She turned back to Ranma. "Good afternoon, Ranma. How are you, Rand, Mat and Akane?"

"Uh, we're fine. Well, I think Mat's a bit sick. Rand mentioned something about a dagger, but I didn't get how it could make him sick." Ranma scratched his head in consternation.

"Dagger?" Moiraine said sharply.

"Uh, I think Rand said he found it somewhere."

An expression of muted fear drifted across Moiraine's face. "They would not have. I must go see him. Now. You will have to guard the door."

"Uh, sure." In moments they moved upstairs, in the boy's room.

Moiraine took one look at Mat and suddenly strove over to him. "Stay away from him," she said. "And be quiet."

Mat stared back as intently as she. He bared his teeth in a silent, snarling rictus, and pulled himself into an ever tighter knot, but he never took his eyes from hers. Slowly she put one hand on him, lightly, on a knee drawn up to his chest. A convulsion shook him at her touch, a shudder of revulsion spasming through his entire body, and abruptly he pulled one hand out, slashing at her face with the ruby-hilted dagger.

One minute Ranma was behind her, the next he was at the bedside, as if he had not bothered with the intervening space. His hand caught Mat's wrist, stopping the slash as if it had struck stone. Moiraine suddenly commanded, "Don't touch the dagger, just hold him." Still Mat held himself in that tight ball. Only the hand with the dagger tried to move, straining against the martial artist's implacable grip. Mat's eyes never left Moiraine, and they burned with hate.

Moiraine also did not move. She did not flinch from the blade only inches from her face, as she had not when he first struck. "How did he come by this?" she asked in a steel voice. "I asked if Mordeth had given you anything. I asked, and I warned you, and you said he had not."

"Uh, I really don't know what you are talking about," Ranma said nervously.

Moiraine studied Mat. He still lay with his knees pulled up to his chest, still snarled soundlessly at her, and his hand yet fought Ranma to reach her with the dagger. "It is a wonder you got this far, carrying this. I felt the evil of it when I laid eyes on him, the touch of Mashadar, but a Fade could sense it for miles. Even though he would not know exactly where, he would know it was near, and Mashadar would draw his spirit while his bones remembered that this same evil swallowed an army; Dreadlords, Fades, Trollocs, and all. Some Darkfriends could probably feel it, too. Those who have truly given away their souls. There could not help but be those who would wonder at suddenly feeling this, as if the very air around them itched. They would be compelled to seek it. It should have drawn them to it as a magnet draws iron filings."

The rest of the Two Rivers folk were suddenly at the door, Lan just before them. He took a look at the deadly scene, but didn't move forward. "Moiraine?"

"I am safe for the moment. Ranma is more than strong enough to hold him," the Aes Sedai said.

"We are not safe here if the Dark One's minions can sense this," the Warder intoned. He was already planning for different contingencies.

"If we can find a way out of Caemlyn, the Halfmen will have no more interest here. If."

"Better we were all dead," Perrin said suddenly, and Rand jumped at the echo of his own thoughts. Perrin still sat staring at the floor-glaring at it now-and his voice was bitter. "Everywhere we go, we bring pain and suffering on our backs. It would be better for everyone if we were dead."

Nynaeve rounded on him, her face half fury and half worried fear, but Moiraine forestalled her.

"What do you think to gain, for yourself or anyone else, by dying?" the Aes Sedai asked. Her voice was level, yet sharp. "If the Lord of the Grave has gained as much freedom to touch the Pattern as I fear, he can reach you dead more easily than alive, now. Dead, you can help no one, not the people who have helped you, not your friends and family back in the Two Rivers. The Shadow is falling over the world, and none of you can stop it dead."

Perrin raised his head to look at her, and Rand gave a start. The irises of his friend's eyes were more yellow than brown. With his shaggy hair and the intensity of his gaze, there was something about him . . . Rand could not grasp it enough to make it out.

Perrin spoke with a soft flatness that gave his words more weight than if he had shouted. "We can't stop it alive, either, now can we?"

"I will have time to argue with you later," Moiraine said, "but your friend needs me now." She stepped aside so they could all see Mat clearly. His eyes still on her with a rage-filled stare; he had not moved or changed his position on the bed. Sweat stood out on his face, and his lips were bloodless in an unchanging snarl. All of his strength seemed to be pouring into the effort to reach Moiraine with the dagger Ranma held motionless. "Or had you forgotten?"

Perrin gave an embarrassed shrug and spread his hands wordlessly.

"What's wrong with him?" Egwene asked, and Nynaeve added, "Is it catching? I can still treat him. I don't seem to catch sick, no matter what it is."

"Oh, it is catching," Moiraine said, "and your . . . protection would not save you." She pointed to the ruby-hilted dagger, careful not to let her finger touch it. The blade trembled as Mat strained to reach her with it.

"This is from Shadar Logoth. There is not a pebble of that city that is not tainted and dangerous to bring outside the walls, and this is far more than a pebble. The evil that killed Shadar Logoth is in it, and in Mat, too, now. Suspicion and hatred so strong that even those closest are seen as enemies, rooted so deep in the bone that eventually the only thought left is to kill. By carrying the dagger beyond the walls of Shadar Logoth he freed it, this seed of it, from what bound it to that place. It will have waxed and waned in him, what he is in the heart of him fighting what the contagion of Mashadar sought to make him, but now the battle inside him is almost done, and he almost defeated. Soon, if it does not kill him first, he will spread that evil like a plague wherever he goes. Just as one scratch from that blade is enough to infect and destroy, so, soon, a few minutes with Mat will be just as deadly."

Nynaeve's face had gone white. "Can you do anything?" she whispered.

"I hope so." Moiraine sighed. "For the sake of the world, I hope I am not too late." Her hand delved into the pouch at her belt and came out with the silk-shrouded angreal. "Leave me. Stay together, and find somewhere you will not be seen, but leave me. I will do what I can for him."

* * *

They had gathered in the library after Mat had been cured. Ranma was a bit queasy, but he hadn't been allowed to leave, as he was holding the dagger back. Akane looked over at him, noting his very low demeanor. She gave him a worried glance, but Ranma only responded with quick smile.

Ranma ignored much of the conversation, even as it meandered from fleeing Caemlyn, Andor itself and to Tar Valon. He was confused about some points, but he really didn't feel like intruding.

"And he mentioned names in our dreams," Rand said carefully after looking at Mat and Perrin.

"I just beat him up," Ranma muttered while in deep thought.

Moiraine opened her mouth and then stopped in surprise at Ranma's comment. She gave him an appraising look. "You had this dream too?"

"Hm? Yeah, I guess." Ranma blinked as he was dragged into the conversation. "That's kind of freaky," he said after a moment.

"Shared dreams?" Akane asked.

"There has not been a dream walker in Tar Valon in over a thousand years," the Aes Sedai said in deep thought.

"He mentioned Logain," Rand said hollowly. "He said that the White Tower used False Dragons for their own ends."

Perrin laughed with a voice tinged in madness. "But he's not looking for a False Dragon, is he?" He looked over at Moiraine accusingly.


End file.
